What Weapons Are For
by Damn.He.FLy
Summary: Erza Scarlet had almost shattered into pieces after the events at the Tower of Heaven when she was young, and not many know her secret. But the truth was that the mighty Titania had owed her success to one man. One orange-haired enigma who taught her about weapons and its uses. The man that she would soon come to realize is the most influencial person in her life. AUIchigo.
1. Arc 1: Giving Hope and Chances

Just throwing this idea out there. Will continue based on feedback.

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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The rebellion was successful for many, but not for one red-haired girl. Her role model, friend and crush had turned on her, on everyone. Everyone was leaving, but she didn't want to leave without Jellal. She _couldn't_ leave without Jellal. And it may very well be her downfall.

"Jellal, please..." The eleven year-old girl bawled out her eyes and got on her knees, begging the blue-haired boy to break out of his possession. But it was to no avail. The boy's eyes expressed nothing but despair, hatred and insanity. Jellal was gone, no longer a friend, no longer an ally.

No longer a nakama worth fighting for.

"Don't you get it, Erza? There is no such thing as freedom! Even if we get off this island, we starve to death, or get beaten to death by thugs or monsters. We can never escape this life of ours!" Dark magic burst out around Jellal, encasing him in a skyward beam. Erza was frightened at the sight of this dark magic. She had thought her newfound ability to control weapons were powerful, but the magic exuding from Jellal was on a whole new level. Jellal, the one who influenced her righteous personality, the one who taught her about the resilience, had become the polar opposite of what he was the last time he was seen.

The Jellal in front of her had given up.

"Erza, there's nothing worth fighting for. It's hopeless." Jellal had influenced her so much in the past, and she had trusted his beliefs that now...she was starting to see the "hopelessness" Jellal was talking about. As Erza succumbed to the hopelessness in the situation, her legs weakened as a result of her despair. She propped herself with all four of her limbs, as if bowing to her demise. She might as well was.

"Nothing...worth fighting for..." Erza sobbed out like an echo.

"Then find something worth fighting for."

Erza looked up to see a black blur, as the tears distorted her vision. The black blur blocked her view of the dark energy and Jellal, like a shield that deflects the despair that was trying to attack her. She blinked away the tears to see the distortion, who was an orange-haired man with black robes. His back was to her, but she was sure he was talking to her. The man was like a blanket in the darkness, seemingly protecting her from the creatures of the darkness. But like a blanket, Erza didn't know whether he was actually able to protect her. He could be just another false hope. One was enough.

The man propped the object in his hand on his shoulder, causing Erza to notice that the man was wielding a sword. More like a cleaver perhaps, due to it's lack of a proper hilt, but it looked lethal nonetheless. The weapon was huge, but the way the stranger held it made it look weightless.

"There is such a thing as freedom, blue-haired boy. You're just too weak-minded to fight for it until the end. But I'll forgive you for that that, since you're possessed or something." Erza couldn't see the man's face, but she knew that this man was probably scowling at Jellal, expressing how disgusting Jellal's words sounded. The disgust was apparent in the man's voice.

"I don't need your forgiveness! You're a fool for thinking that way, so don't try to influence Erza!" Jellal's pillar of dark magic increased in a burst, the pillar widening such that the man's body couldn't screen her from the sight of the magic. Erza was horrified, but the man stood calm, as if unimpressed by the demonstration of power. To remained unfazed at the sight of such power...this man must have a high mental strength or maybe...he was way stronger than Jellal.

"We think way too differently. I think you're the one trying to put your twisted thoughts into this _gaki_. Just because you think you can't win, doesn't mean it's not worth choosing over the easy way out. You have all this dark magic power, but you are weak in the mind. And when you are weak in the mind..." The man pointed his blade at Jellal with one hand, before starting to glow along with his blade. "...you are weak all over."

Jellal was enraged to the point of speechlessness, and to the point of summoning a darkness magic circle at the feet of the glowing man. Before Erza could cry out a warning, the magic circle exploded. Even though she dodged to the right, the explosion still affected Erza, knocking Erza back and sliding her abrasively across the rubble-filled flooring.

Maniac laughter that came from Jellal was heard through the smog, but was for some reason cut off. The smoke cleared to reveal the orange-haired man still standing in the same position, not even flinched. But this time, his sword was no longer a huge cleaver, and his robes were replaced. Instead, he wore a long-sleeved, knee-length black coat, wielding a long, black and thin katana (Bankai). A side-view of the man's face was now available to Erza, and Erza didn't know whether it was the clothes, the stance or the face, but he looked really dashing.

Jellal summoned a magic circle again, but this time the man dodged so fast that Erza's only working eye couldn't keep up. All that she could see was a flash of his image before he appeared behind Jellal. With a swing of his sword, a crescent of glowing blue energy was flung Jellal's way. Jellal instinctively commanded shadows to take the blow for him, but the energy sliced through the shadows, knocking Jellal a good twenty feet back. Jellal became more enraged, and the murderous intent that could be detected from his eyes could instantly kill someone. Erza found it difficult to look, but the man scowled deeper into Jellal's eyes, increasingly disgusted the more murderous Jellal seemed.

Jellal crouched on all four limbs and summoned another magic circle below him, before propelling himself like a meteor. The man glowed again, but this time when the light cleared, he was wearing a white suit that looked like an exoskeleton (Complete Fullbring). With a quick movement, the stranger drew the short sword from its holster on his back, dashing forward with as twice as much speed, something Erza thought wasn't possible. Even though Jellal was faster than humanly possible, the stranger was at speeds rivaling sound, dodging the assault that Jellal was executing by jumping over the straight-forward attack. By rotating his body in the air, the stranger stabbed Jellal in the shoulder, causing Jellal to scream out in pain. Red sputtered out of the wound, spilling and painting the ruined site crimson.

Erza was shocked, but not worried. It made her gasp, but it didn't make her cry. She took this as a sign of hopelessness she held towards saving Jellal, and started to run to the ships, where hopefully Millianna, Sho, Wally and Simon were still waiting.

"Erza!"

Said girl turned to see a speeding Jellal heading towards her, and she would have dodged if she didn't look into Jellal's petrifying eyes. Blood-lust was the only thing she saw. And in a flash, she saw the last thing she would see while conscious: a white blur, and everything went dark again. Everything always went dark for her. She just hope this would be the last time.

Light was the first thing she noticed when she opened her eyes. Erza didn't know whether to be grateful or not. This could mean a new hope...or just a continuation of her suffering. She hoped for the former but started believing it was the latter.

She sat up despite the throbbing headache and aching limbs, and found herself sitting on an empty shore. Almost empty, except for a man in front of her with a white shirt with black pants. Then she recognized him. She only saw one person that had orange hair in all her life. The man that gave her a chance.

"Oh, gaki, you're awake." The man sat cross-legged in front of her, looking down on her with his superior height. He was scary, constantly scowling whether engaged in battle or not. Erza lost her balance and crashed into the sand to her right, making the orange-haired man laugh. She didn't know whether to be embarrassed or freaked out, so she was a little of both. She scurried away from him hastily, looking at the man tentatively.

"Who are you?!" The man didn't put back a scowl, instead seemed more laid-back as opposed to her first impressions of him. The man scratched his head for a second, as if contemplating whether answering her would be a good idea.

"I can't tell you who I am, because I hope you may not remember my name in the future. But if you want, you could call me..." The man tapped his chin slowly, brainstorming on aliases that fitted him. But Erza thought of a pretty good one.

"Carrot-head." The man raised his eyebrow at the weird suggestion, not at all offended by how blunt of an insult it was to his hair color. Erza thought maybe she should explain. "You have orange hair and a sharp jawline."

The mysterious swordsman just smiled, nodding in reply. "Alright. Carrot-head shall be my alias. And you should be Erza." Carrot-head stood up and dusted his pants before stretching his hand as an invitation to help Erza up. She took it, and she dusted her own rags as well. Rags. A reminder of her enslavement.

Carrot-head caught on with her thoughts, waving a hand in her face to get her attention back. Her head snapped back up, a little embarrassed to be caught in a daydream.

"I saw you controlling weapons from afar. Is that your magic?" She nodded, and Carrot-head shoved his hands in his pockets. "You know, in battle, others may not use weapons, but magic instead. And you can't control others' magic, can you?" Erza nodded again, starting to question this man's motives. Why was did he help her? Why was she helping her now?

"Do you know what magic I used?" Erza shook her head, her neck starting to ache from head movements. "Then I shall explain. There is a magic space where I can store weapons and armor. I can summon those weapons and armor at any given time, allowing me to be all-rounded. The armors that you saw me use are just a few out of a hundred."

_Why the hell is telling me about his magic? _Erza stared at Carrot-head, starting to think of him as a weirdo than a knight in shining armor. Knight in shining armor? Erza thought she had ditched that thought a long time ago. Jellal brought it back, and but had forced her to ditch it again. But she considered him one, now that she was free. Oh...she was free!

"Why did you save me?" Erza blurted it out before she could stop herself. Carrot-head switched from his laid-back persona to his constantly scowling one. The one that freaked her out. It made her want to apologize, but she thought against it and stood her ground. He looked down at her sternly, like how a mentor would look at his disrespectful disciple.

"If I have the ability to save someone, and I don't, it would feel as if I killed them. But there is only so few people that is willing to think this way. I see the potential in you to protect those you care about. You are righteous by nature, strong in the mind. And when you're strong in the mind-"

"-you're strong all over." Erza unknowingly muttered the remainder of the sentence for him. This made Carrot-head smile a little, and she found herself smiling back at his heart-warming smile. Not long later, he snapped back to his straight face, transitioning abruptly.

"Exactly. So I'll give you the ability to protect others, and hopefully you'll spread my beliefs to the people around you. You can control weapons, but you can't make them. And you certainly can't carry a hundred swords wherever you go. By teaching you my magic, I can allow you to maximize your magic, allowing you to fight for your beliefs, because some beliefs are worth fighting for." Erza unconsciously widened her eyes at the wisdom that this guy supposedly packed. He looked roughly eighteen, yet he spoke like a sage who's a thousand years old. And the magic power this man possessed...made Carrot-head a thousand times more enigmatic.

The said orange-haired stranger place his hand on her shoulder, and Erza stiffened like a soldier. Erza slowly raised her head to meet the eyes of Carrot-head, feeling like he was imparting wisdom that words couldn't demonstrate through eye contact. He smiled once again, and his sincerity was undoubted.

"Erza, I shall teach you how to recreate weapons. I shall teach you Re-equip Magic."


	2. Arc 1: Feeling Safe and Secure

**Hey. I wasn't expecting this much response, so it was pretty shocking to have so much feedback only after a few days. So for those who responded, you made me feel compelled to continue. Not sure whether to thank you for making me want to write or curse you for making me neglect some of my other stories.**

**Some of you might wonder how the story will go. For those of you wondering this will be the estimate of the progression. Not giving away too much though. _These are spoilers_, by the way:**

3 to 5 chapters: Erza and Carrot-head travel and bond before joining Fairy Tail

2 to 4 chapters: Carrot-head reunites with Erza briefly before start of manga/anime

Indefinite no. of chapters: The different arcs of the manga/anime along with Carrot-head's involvement

**Subject to change***

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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There were many questions that were on Erza's mind, but few of them were communicated to Carrot-head. It wasn't because she was afraid of him. Erza _was _afraid of the sword-wielding man, but it wasn't the reason why she did not voice any of her questions. It was a lack of trust.

Openings for questions were plentiful, such as while they were on the boat to the nearest town, and while they were on foot searching for an inn, but she only asked fairly menial things. And even then his answers were vague.

"What's your actual name?" Erza would ask stoically.

"Anything you want to call me." A upward curve of his lips accompanied his words.

"How old are you?" The redhead questioned with a indifferent expression.

"Too old to date you. Yet." The stranger would tease, making Erza's cheek become a tint of red similar to her hair.

Trust would be something difficult to earn if this man continued to dodge her questions. His flickering between scowls and smiles made him even more enigmatic, distant and unpredictable, as if he was constantly hiding emotions. She was a good judge of character, and she could sense the sincerity in Carrot-head, but after the recent events a day ago...she started to doubt her judgment. Yet she was still following this man around. Maybe in desperation, or perhaps gratification? Erza honestly didn't know.

There was only a one half-hour training session thus far, which only included meditation and expanding her magic power reserves. It wasn't something Erza particularly enjoyed, but it made her stronger, and she found pleasure at the feeling of magic coursing through her. And even if she didn't fully trust Carrot-head, she had to admit that Carrot-head gave her a little hope towards life, no matter how small.

"_How about we start your training?" Erza eyed the stranger oddly. They were on a rowboat, he was busy rowing it and there was almost no space to even stand. How were they going to train? Carrot-head picked up on her bewilderment, chuckling in amusement at her. Her cheeks turned pink as she wondered what was so funny._

_He stopped and switch to his scowl again, and Erza stiffened._

"_Sit cross-legged and form a a bowl with your hands. Imagine someone or something that you care about being attacked. Summon your magic to protect them." The red-head complied, thinking about what she would do to protect her friends. Sho, Milliana, Wally, Simon. A flicker of magic was felt, but the sight of her magic flickering above her cupped hands made her lose concentration and the glow disappeared._

_Carrot-head chuckled again, making Erza feel heat on her cheeks, a feeling that she didn't like very much. He patted her head, unknowingly causing Erza to inhale sharply._

"_Your desire to protect isn't strong enough. Your motivation must feel more like a need than a desire. Try to think of something else." Creating bonds weren't something Erza could do conveniently, and she had no idea what she wanted to protect. She didn't even feel like she herself was worth protecting_

"_Think about me being attacked. What would you do?" Erza gave him that questioning odd look again. The request was absurd as it made no sense. She had known her friends for years, and she had known this man for barely half a day. But yet, Erza had a feeling it might work. So she tried it._

_She imagined that Carrot-head was on his knees, dark circle beneath him. What would she do? She would run, because she was powerless. Her legs would carry her, but for some reason...not in the intended direction. She would try and protect him, regardless of her opponent's strength. That was the kind of person Erza wanted to be. That was the kind of person Carrot-head was._

_When she slowly opened the eyes that she sub-consciously shut, they widened in amazement. A small steady glow was present. It was her magic. It might be small, but it was still hers. It disintegrated after a while, and Erza was left staring at her palms._

"_Good job, gaki." Carrot-head ruffled her hair, and as much as Erza wanted to glower at his invasion of personal space, her thoughts were somewhere else. Trying to figure out this foreign feeling. The foreign feeling of hope._

In mid-thought, Erza heard said enigma yell from a fair distance, snapping her out of trance. This was when she realized that she was trailing behind Carrot-head, something that embarrassed her. She didn't like being caught in thought, her experiences taught her how it was a momentary lack of guard. But she was usually cautious about not getting too deep in thought. Not until this stranger placed doubts and invoked thoughts in her head.

After Erza caught up, they walked at an equal and constant pace, keeping up with each other on the gravel path. Erza was glad for paths, because it meant less time treading on mud and more chance of finding an inn. Or maybe the path leads to a trap. She was "treading on mud" for so long and had taken so many wrong "paths" that she always kept a suspicion towards any and every thing.

And yet without question, she followed this unknown path, trailing the orange-haired enigma.

Carrot-head suddenly halted, causing Erza to pause as well. A sense of deep concentration filled his face, apparent from his forehead-creasing scowl. He was starting to glance at his surroundings warily, as if there was something to spot. Erza looked around for anything that may deserve attention but saw nothing. There wasn't even somewhere to hide. "Erza, be a good girl and stay here."

Erza didn't like the sound of his words. There was no way she was going to stay and do nothing while her benefactor protected her again. She wasn't weak, and she wanted to make Carrot-head understand that. "I can fight. I defeated the guards at the tower and-"

"Listen, Erza!" The sudden shout made Erza jump a little. Carrot-head still hadn't look at her, instead snarled into the wind. "You don't even know the company we have right now. I promised I would make you strong, but I have yet to done so. I can't make you strong when you're hurt or dead, so please...stay put."

For a split second, Erza softened her gaze at the man, but was shocked when Carrot-head burst into a glow which engulfed his whole body, only subsiding after he had his clothes replaced by the familiar black coat and his in his hand gripping a black katana. Keeping Erza behind him, Ichigo pointed the sword at nothingness. There wasn't even a tree or a rock. There was nothing.

Nothing until a curse was heard. "Shit...busted."

Men materialized in front of them, wearing clothing with chains and studs all over them. From their smirks and snarls, it didn't take a genius to know that these people were up to no good. They did not carry any weapons, and Erza didn't know whether to be happy or not. Carrot-head was right when he said that her magic was situational.

But more importantly, what were these people doing here? Are they here to bring her back to the tower? Erza could feel herself tremble, and timidly hid behind Carrot-head's back. Cowering behind someone wasn't something Erza thought she would do anymore, but Carrot-head seemed to pull her into his circle of protection so strongly. Like a knight in shining armor. She detested to, but she used that phrase again.

The gangsters marched in anything but a unison, chains shimmering as they approached closer. After a brief count, there should be at least thirty of them. Some of them were a chunk of muscle, while others were slim and lanky. But there was no doubt in Erza's mind that any one of them were stronger than her.

Something even clearer was that they had no idea how strong Carrot-head was.

"Hey, punk, the council doubled the bounty again! A hundred million jewels isn't something that Ghoul Spirit would pass up! Come with us and maybe we'll let little girly over there go!" The apparent leader grinned menacingly, but Carrot-head stood his ground, katana still pointed at the group. There was a long, stretching silence, where none of them spoke, only broken when the leader laughed uncouthly.

"I don't know how strong you are, but my men and I would probably have the power to take down one of the Ten Wizard Saints if we tried! Men, atta-"

The leader should have saw it coming. But she couldn't blame them. She didn't even know the true extent of his power up till now.

The leader's words were cut off by Carrot-head's katana. Literally. Again, Erza didn't see him charge or dash or run, just a flicker of his image before he was in front of the man. The long black blade was plunged into the man's mouth all the way to the hilt, the blade visible at the back of his head. Erza had seen her fair share of brutality at the tower, but the sight of this made her feel nausea. Once again, Carrot-head's strong indifference shone as he remained unfazed, not even blinking as the blood runs down his blade to the hilt, dripping drop by drop onto the gravel. "You talk too much," was all he said.

The other men were gaping at the sight of their leader's demise, probably because they assumed he was strong. They should have thought about why Carrot-head had a bounty...oh, she forgot to wonder why Carrot-head had a bounty. But she would remind herself to find answers later, because right now, there were hostiles still standing.

Half of them ran, while the others prepared their magic. Usually Erza would consider the deserters as cowards, but she could only think of them as the smarter ones. An onslaught of attacks were executed, ranging from fireballs to punches, but none of them hit. One by one, the men who attacked were countered, receiving varied injuries that were not as fatal, but could still kill.

The sight of Carrot-head murdering made Erza's eyes widened. The first time Erza saw the swordsman, he was cold, indifferent, yet had a fierce sense of righteousness. During their single day of travel, he was protective, laid-back, grinding away Erza's suspicions. And there he was, mass-murdering his enemies, reverting to his cold self again. So which one was the front, and which one is his true persona?

Erza was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt someone grab her collar, lifting her off the ground before she could react. Her thought process went blank, as she re-imagined a guard from the tower yanking her collar. The recollection frightened her, her traumatic experiences still fresh in her mind. And perhaps due to her lack of thought, she did the only thing that she knew. She yelp his name.

"Carrot-head!"

The said man pulled the blade out of the last man standing, turning to show her no emotion. A shiver went down her spine, a reaction that only this man could invoke after all that she's been through. It was as if he didn't care at all, and even though Erza had doubted his sincerity, the redhead really wanted someone's care deep down. She thought the man capable was him. Her knight in shining armor became a savage mass-murderer. The fire of hope inside of her dwindled.

Only to burn brighter than before.

It happened so quickly, like everything else. Her knight in shining armor did it again. He saved her from danger. He made her safe.

Carrot-head swung his blade upwards, slashing the man's arm with eye-blinding speeds. A ear-curling scream echoed in the air. Erza was dropped, landing unceremoniously on the gravel. The gravel had scraped her knees, making her bleed, but she soon realized that the blood she lost was nothing compared to the man who grabbed her.

As Erza turned, she felt bile rise up to her throat. The sight of such gore would have made most people puke out their lungs, but Erza kept it in. It was increasingly difficult. The man's arm was severed, his shoulder detached from his torso. Carrot-head stared down straight at the man, who was fighting to stay conscious.

"You shouldn't have touched her. You were dead from the moment you did." His words were sharp, cutting the air as effectively as a blade. Erza found herself unable to breath momentarily as Carrot-head turned back towards her. His face was softened again, and she found herself frozen in her kneeling position. He walked towards her, and she rooted into the ground further the closer he got.

Carrot-head scooped her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style.

Erza was trembling, but at the same time she was no longer afraid. "I don't want to die." She whimpered.

"You're not going to die. Not as long as I'm alive." He replied.

The truth shone like light rays, flashing in her face. He protected her, again. And he would do so as many times as it took to keep her save. There was no reason not to trust him, as her life was saved by him, and therefore it was his. Erza understood that he was a righteous person, but why her? She decided not to question her blessings, but cherish them. As they walked away, Erza glanced back at the gore that her carrier had caused.

"How strong are you?" Erza asked her most burning question.

"Strong enough," came his vague answer.

But for the first time, his vague answer left Erza contented. Erza felt entirely safe.

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**A/N: This is the event that makes Erza trust Carrot-head. It might be a little too fast, but if you want to get to know his backstory a little, it has to be faster. Sorry if you think the events are to quick. There will be a lot of time skipping because I can't write out every detail of the training.**


	3. Arc 1: Finding Strength and Motivation

Did you guys see that? I posted two chapters in a day! Well, this is definitely not a common occurance, so **don't expect to see multitudes of chapters popping out like popcorn**. I just happen to be sick. So sick that I didn't go to school or even get out of bed. I usually go out with friends or family for lunch and dinner, but today, I ended up eating cup noodles at home, writing instead.

This chapter is shorter than the previous two, and even though I don't like posting chapters that are too short, my chapters will now be **estimately 1500 to 2500 words**. Also, don't expect anything for the next week, schoolwork would be pilling up like mad after my sick leave. I might sneak in a chapter, but don't count on it.

Also, what do you think about the gore? Tone it down? Up the rating? How about the number of chapters before Erza joins Fairy Tail? PMs, PMs, PMs. If not, Erza would arrive in Magnolia in the next chapter.

Enjoy the read and give me comments/ideas/bacon strips!

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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_Corpses littered the area. She recognized a few; Sho, Wally and Milliana. Simon was levitating, but lifeless. Erza wasn't sure she could watch anymore. But she couldn't close her eyes, as a force would pry them open anyways. Jellal was standing on a pile of corpses. The stench and fire was everywhere, making her feel ill and driving bile up her throat._

_A man was kneeling, unable to stand. Panting heavily, as if he was already defeated. Except that he hadn't given up. Orange hair was the first thing she noted about the man. He turned back to her, giving her a weak smile._

"_I'm sorry, Erza. I'll try my best to keep you safe." Too late._

_A purple beam shot through the man's body, and a yelp was stuck in the orange-haired man's throat. Erza screamed, but nothing came out. Laughter and chuckles filled her ears, stench filled her nose, dryness filled her mouth, and despair filled everywhere else. It was hopelessness, the feeling so distant, yet so familiar._

_But Erza didn't give in to the hopelessness. Old Erza would. New Erza wouldn't even think about it. She felt herself grip something. She looked down and saw a sword in her hands. Jellal was looking down on her, and Erza couldn't take it lying down. So she ran, picking up pace and courage. And she leapt, ready to drive the sword through him..._

...before she woke up. Her covers were already on the floor, probably because she kicked it off onto the floor. She examined her surroundings to make sure she was still in the inn's room. Of course it was a dream, She had it every night. It was way too surreal, and even right now, Erza couldn't remember much of it.

Erza just hope Carrot-head did not find out about her nightly nightmares. He would make a fuss out of it, and Erza didn't want to add her nightmares to his list of worries. Being hunted was large enough to fill the list. She examined herself to realize that her rags were already soaked in sweat, and so were her pillows. There was nothing she could do about the covers, and since they were going to be changed by the innkeeper later, Erza wasn't bothered about. Instead, an alternate set of clothing would do her well.

As if on cue, her eyes fell on a set of clothes left on the side table which consisted of a simple white blouse and a blue skirt-pants. With no more lethargy left in her, Erza made her way to the stack of clothes and saw a note. There was a small parchment that had almost incoherent handwriting, and Erza could barely make out the words. After requiring a few minutes of translation, she deciphered the message.

It read:

_Change into this new set of clothes. I don't really know your sizes but those should fit fairly well. Eat your cake and meet me outside of town. Don't eat it too quickly! It's pretty damn expensive._

_-Carrot-head_

Erza complied to his instructions as quickly as possible, except the part about eating the cake. She complied by eating the cake slowly, and it felt slightly torturous because the cake tasted too good. She made her way downstairs and ignored the innkeeper who was staring at her oddly. Erza simply pass it off as the innkeeper suspicious of her new clothing.

It took a little bit of mapping to find the plains Carrot-head was referring to, but she located it in an estimate of three minutes. As she approached the plains, there was only a few things in sight. There was a single tree, a bunch of meter-long sticks and a shirt on the ground. But there was only one thing Erza noticed.

Carrot-head was receiving shade under the tree. Shirtless. Her stupid female hormones made her feel hot all over. She quickly shook it off, instead noticing that he was holding an ordinary sword. It wasn't like his usual powerful ones, but it looked functional enough.

"Erza, over here!" Carrot-head waved his sword, and Erza made her way at a slow pace, staring at the ground instead of him. As she halted somewhere near him, Carrot-head stabbed the sword into the ground in front of her, making Erza's heart skip half a beat.

"What is this?" Carrot-head asked, as if it wasn't obvious.

"A sword?" Erza knew that his questions were never straight-forward, but she didn't bother guessing.

"Yes." She patted her head, and the sword disappeared in a flash of light. "Now it's in your magic space. It represents your hope."

_Magic space. A storage for weapons in an alternate dimension, allowing Carrot-head to summon weapons and armor at will_, Erza dug up all the information she had in her mind. Did she really possess a sword? Did she even have a magic space? Erza didn't seem to feel anything different

"Here's the challenge!" Carrot-head put on a cowboy hat, which looked really stupid, only his shirtless body making him not cross the line between attractive and weird. _You're here to learn magic__, Erza. Focus._

"I couldn't really find my intended hat, but this one will do. Your goal is to knock this hat off. You can use the sticks over there, or you can summon the sword. But remember, if you run out of sticks and can't summon the sword, you'll have to resort to your hands, so I suggest trying to summon your sword."

Erza took a brief second to imagine a sword materializing out of thin air, but nothing happened. She tried several times, trying to imagine the sword in more detail, but there was no sword in sight."How am I supposed to do that?"

"A sword in your magic space is your hope. A sword in your hands is strength. Figure it out."

She didn't like it when Carrot-head spoke in riddles, so she figured she would attempt with a stick first. Carrot-head mentioned about running out of sticks, but Erza didn't think it was possible to "run out of sticks". If she were to use the stick like a sword, it would work the same way and she could strike the hat off his head.

It was not until she picked up a stick and swung it when she realized what Carrot-head was talking about.

As quickly as she could, Erza sprinted to the stack of sticks, picked one up and attempted a downwards swing to the hat. Carrot-head didn't even dodge to the side or change his stance. He simply gripped the stick. Erza pushed down harder, but Carrot-head didn't allow the stick to budge. A creak was heard before...

The piece of wood was squeezed so hard that the part where it was gripped exploded into fragments of wood, splitting the wood into two prominent sections and a hundred splinters. Back-stepping cautiously, she looked at the man who displayed nothing less than monstrous strength. _So that was what he meant by "running out of sticks"._

Erza picked up another stick and observed Carrot-head. His eyes were staring straight into hers, as if reading her like a manual. She swung the stick with both hands from the right, but Carrot-head caught it with one hand again. This time, he simply pulled and it slipped out Erza's hand. Using both of his hands, he snapped the sturdy stick like a toothpick. No instruction was given and no mistakes were pointed out. Only staring came from Carrot-head.

The following hour was spent by Erza trying different ways to knock the hat off. Dual-wielding didn't work, and neither did lunging or stabbing. In one way or another, he broke the sticks into splinters or simply flung it away. Erza was on her last stick and possibly on her last breath, searching desperately in the depths of her mind.

"_A sword in your magic space is your hope. A sword in your hands is strength."_

Erza gripped tightly onto the stick, concentrating on reading between the lines. _Carrot-head gave me the sword, so he gave me "hope". How do I turn hope into strength?_ Erza closed her eyes, thinking of the things that Carrot-head had mentioned to her.

"_,,,protect who you care about."_

"_...some beliefs are worth fighting for."_

"_...your motivation must feel like more of a need than a desire."_

"_...find something worth fighting for."_

"You gave me hope, Carrot-head." Erza muttered, but the man continued to scowl, as if observing her and readying for an incoming attack. "I will repay you, and I will be stronger to do so."

Her grip on the stick tightened, and creaks came from the wood. "That is my...motivation!"

Dragging the stick on the grass-littered ground, Erza dashed forward, scrapping the stick as she ran. As she came close, Erza leapt into the air. With every inch of muscle in her arms, she swung downwards similarly to her first attempt. Like previously, Carrot-head gripped on the stick, and a creak escaped.

But before it broke into splinters, a glow surrounded the stick timely. Carrot-head continued to tighten his grip, not before the glow burst into the surroundings. For a moment, Erza wanted to drop the stick to rub her eyes. But it was no longer a stick. Sticks weren't this heavy. Sticks weren't shiny. She was holding a sword, the one Carrot-head gave her.

Carrot-head removed the grip of his sword, dropping his hand to the side, allowing Erza to examine the sword. The sword she summoned. Bringing her eyes back to the man who made it possible, she saw his face break into a smile. To say Erza was elated was the understatement of the year. The guards back at the tower had thought she was powerful. Wait till they see her prowess now.

"Good job, gaki. Keep the sword. We'll call it a day and get some lunch. Cake in the morning probably isn't enough." Carrot-head shook the hat off his head before put his shirt back on awkwardly with his left hand as he said.

"But I want to practice! I haven't complete the challenge!" Erza may have whined, but anyone in her situation would understand. The thrill of using her newly-acquired magic could not be contained until the next day.

"Erza. I just gripped a sword. I think I deserve a break to go get some bandages." Erza stared at her sword to see it coated in a little blood. She must have openly shown her shock, as Carrot-head chuckled lightly at her. Without so much as a warning, her mentor turned on his heels and walked, Erza only noticing seconds later.

As she ran after, she noticed the sword glowing and disintegrating into nothing, and she could feel the sword feeling up an empty part of her. This sword would stay with her for a long time, evidence that Erza had regained hope.

Evidence that on this day, a once hollow red-haired girl was given the ability to fight. By a certain orange-haired man.


	4. Arc 1: Breaking Bonds and Spirits

Hey. Remember how I said that I wasn't going to post until after the next week?

I lied.

I did some lazy student magic and managed to clear most of my stuff. In celebration, I wrote another chapter. Woohoo. Sorry for lying, but at the same time I gave you an 'early' chapter so I'm not that apologetic.

Not much to say about this chapter. Erza finds out what Carrot-head had planned for her.

Review, fav, PM me your spare ideas. Do all three if you want to. Do all three three times if you are crazy enough.

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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For the past month, the eleven year-old redhead had been under the tutelage of the mysterious orange-haired swordsman. They had traveled to plenty of different towns so far, never settling in one specific town for more than a few days. Erza didn't know where they were going, or what Carrot-head had planned for her. Were they going to save other people together? Like a duo of heroes?

Erza would definitely go along with it if that was the case. She had been training with Carrot-head for a month now, and even though she was a modest person, she could safely say that at this rate, Erza would become the strongest female mage in Fiore by the age of fifteen. Her magic power had increased by at least ten times, and her swordsmanship, although no where near Carrot-head's level, was indisputably one of the best as well.

Her training so far consisted of large amounts of meditation, occasional endurance training and several sword-fighting lessons. This was only what Carrot-head assigned her. Even though she held great respect towards the man and knew that the man cared for her, she still felt that he was too lenient. He would only assign enough endurance training for her to start sweating. He would only spar with her with his feet rooted to the ground. And without a weapon. So during the night, Erza would run non-stop from their current town back to their previous town and back again, usually a three-day journey compressed into one night. Sometimes she would encounter bandits, and that was just an added bonus.

Not long ago, she was caught sneaking out by Carrot-head, but he didn't reprimand her. All he did was ruffle her hair as per usual, telling her than she was ten minutes slower than last night. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

She also noticed that Carrot-head would wear a constant scowl in public, and Erza herself had picked up this habit, even though hers wasn't exactly a scowl but more of a stern expression. But when they interacted, he would give the most charming of smiles which Erza couldn't help but mirror. It was as if the only people that could make Carrot-head or Erza smile were each other.

And Erza liked that. They were like...family.

Erza was snapped out of her daydreams once again by the man of her thoughts with a snap of his fingers. She almost fell backwards off her chair, but Carrot-head hooked the leg of her chair with his foot, re-balancing it. And even though this was probably the umpteen time that she was caught in her thoughts, Erza still blushed.

She remembered now that they were eating their last meal before going to the next town, back in their inn. But Erza had so much on her mind that she had mashed up her cake unknowingly. And it didn't look as appetizing as before.

"You alright, Erza? You should eat up instead of playing with your food. The next town is really far away and you'll need the energy." Carrot-head messed up her hair once more, but Erza didn't mind as her hair was short anyways. And it was...affectionate.

Erza tried to mentally shake off the thought, and nodded before resuming consumption of her strawberry cake. The little girl had became fond of cakes, but every time Carrot-head bought one for her, it was always strawberry-flavored, Carrot-head claiming it was the best tasting flavor. But Erza wasn't complaining. Not only had Carrot-head given her training and food, he had also provided her with shelter, weaponry, armor and company. It was no longer gratification, it was respect and admiration that had bloomed within her. If Erza were to do anything in the future, it would be to repay the debt to Carrot-head.

"How do you earn money?" Erza asked abruptly and tilted her head in curiosity, and Carrot-head just looked towards her and smiled.

"Remember how I told you about the bounty that the Magic Council issued on me?" Erza nodded. He claimed that the council wanted to forcefully recruit him, but Erza doubted his claims. "I let someone capture me and when my _'captor'_ got his money, I break out and take it from him. It's like a little game."

A light chuckle from Carrot-head made Erza smile, and they resumed dining until Erza remembered another of her question. "Where are we going exactly? Are we going to save someone?"

This time, Carrot-head didn't react with a smile. Slowly, he propped the utensils on his own plate, his face contorted into a worrying expression. A sigh escaped him and Erza saw this as a sign of something that she probably didn't want to hear.

"We're going to the city of Magnolia. You are...going to settle there with a friend of mine. For an indefinite period of time..." Erza widened her eyes at his announcement. His decision could only be described in two words: utter bullshit. Furiously, Erza stood up, bumping into the table in front of her, almost tipping it over. She could feel her teeth grit and nails dig into her palm, but they didn't do much to suppress her anger.

"How could you do that?! I'm strong now! I help you save people! What if I don't like it there? What if I want to follow you instead?"

"Erza...I have people who are trying to capture me, hence I'm in constant danger. I know you're strong but I can't guarantee that you'll be safe. My friend can give you a family-"

"But you _are_ my family! What if this _'family' _hurts me?" Erza could feel tears well up in her, something she had not felt for the past month. And now Carrot-head had made her weep again. Why must people give her hope and crush it again?

"What if my enemies hurt you instead, Erza!?" Carrot-head stood up as well, almost scaring Erza off her balance. Carrot-head exhaled before continuing. "How about this? If you can cut me once before we reach Magnolia, I'll allow you to follow me around the world. If not, you are to stay with my friend until I say so."

That was her chance. As soon as Erza heard him finish his words, the knife on her plate was flung to Carrot-head's direction. Erza was pretty sure Carrot-head would just flicker away, so Erza had called out a sword, ready to catch Carrot-head of guard after he flickered to his location. After all, according to her theories, all moves had a drag.

But it was only a theory. Carrot-head was always an exception to the rules.

As his image flickered by the window, Erza dashed towards him, slashing downwards. He shouldn't have been able to react, but he did. He flickered again. A split second after his previous flicker. Which meant that Carrot-head could flicker indefinitely. She couldn't catch him as long as he ran.

Part of the wooden floor shattered into splinters, like her chances. She almost gave up until she realized that the window's glass was shattered. Another theory about this mysterious technique came up in Erza's head. His technique wasn't teleportation, but acute acceleration. He was basically moving at incredible speeds so fast that the eye can't catch. He had to break the window to escape, which meant he had moved in a path. Which meant that he _could_ be caught.

Upon gaining this knowledge, Erza couldn't give up. If there was a chance to convince Carrot-head of her worth, she would take it. She would not leave him. She _could not_ leave him.

She jumped out of the window as well, startling some of the townsfolk. Since Erza had yet to get any magic armor, her speed was purely based on her physical training. Carrot-head was running normally, but even then he was fast. Summoning all the strength in her legs, Erza sprinted after him like her life depended on it, because in a way, it did. Carrot-head took to the roof of buildings and so did Erza. All she had to do was one simple slash, and she could stay. One simple slash.

About a minute into the chase, they were already in the plains outside the town. Erza had no idea why he wasn't flickering, but it didn't matter to her. It just gave her more of a chance. If she had any at all.

Roughly five minutes later, Carrot-head was slowing down. Speed might have been his strength but lack of stamina must have been his weakness. Maybe that was why he had never spent more than a minute in his battles. Taking advantage of this, Erza pushed herself a little more, steadily closing the distance between them. As Carrot-head was just in range, Erza summoned a long sword, trying to get a cut on his back.

Erza swung, Carrot-head flickered. Erza was off-guard, Carrot-head grabbed her collar. Erza blinked, Carrot-head flickered again.

Erza opened her eyes, Carrot-head had brought her to an alley of a city, the city of Magnolia.

Game over. Erza had to give up on her mentor, her benefactor. Her hope.

The thought of leaving Carrot-head had crushed her. When she was lowered to the floor, she couldn't even keep her footing, falling and leaning onto Carrot-head instead. Her benefactor had left her, what was she going to do?

"Why...must you leave?" Erza sobbed out, trying to dam tears that threatened to pour out. But it didn't work, as she found herself spilling tears onto Carrot-head's shirt. In response, Carrot-head wrapped his arms around her for the very first time. A warmth swelled within her, and she didn't resist this warmth nor his embrace. It was their first embrace, and it could very well be their last.

She would lose the chance to feel the way he ruffled her hair, to hear the tone in which he called her "gaki". And most of all, she would lose the chance to repay him for saving her physically and mentally. It had been her motivation...how was she supposed to fight without motivation?

"I know it is hard for you, but it's harder for me to know that I'm putting you in constant danger. We're not expected to be here until next week, so I'll still have a week with you. When you're all grown up and a lot stronger, I'll come back to visit." There was no desire to leave Carrot-head at all, but Erza knew that she had pretty much no choice. She could either comply or watch him forsake her. It didn't stop her from detesting his decision, and she lost the awareness of how much of her tears she was spilling.

"P-Promise you'll come back. I'll grow strong and pay you back." Her words came out as another sob, and she wrapped her own arms around him, taking in as much affection as possible. He tightened his own embrace, and for a moment, she felt a spot of moisture fall on her head.

"Promise."


	5. Arc 1: Accepting Fate and Company

Sorry for going missing for some time. Work and stuff. My com broke down so I had to work to buy a new one. But because I'm so lazy, I did work which I can do flexibly. So this is coming to you from my 16GB RAM, 4GB VRAM, i7 **laptop****.**

Oh yeah. I love this Acer so much that I should give it a name.

Anyway, upon request, I won't put spoilers in A/Ns anymore. Just one more. Carrot-head is really old. Like really, really old. More details of his age will come later.

Also, this is the last you'll see of eleven year-old Erza. Next arc, she will be sixteen, then she will be the canon age (nineteen, I think). Speaking of arcs, in between arcs there will be a little segment I like to call "Death God's Log", which will be a part of the story from Carrot-head's POV that will explain a few things or show something important that Erza's POV does not show. The first one will be the following chapter.

Again, sorry for the delay, but the next one chapter will be up in a few days. For now, enjoy this one.

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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"Erza, eat up. My friend is expecting us soon."

It was precisely that reason which prompted Erza to eat at a snail's pace. As stupid as it sounds, the longer Erza took to eat, the more time she would have with Carrot-head. Minutes and seconds never felt so precious.

Last week, Carrot-head had given her a million jewels, allowing her to purchase many varied weaponry and armor, non-magical yet a work of remarkable craftsmanship. And yet the thrill of obtaining additions to her arsenal was absent. She was indeed eleven and a half, but toys and in Erza's case, weaponry could not placate Erza that easily. The weapons that Carrot-head gave her were just weapons, and Carrot-head himself was so much more. Her driving force, her out-of-this-world trainer, her guardian and the only company she ever had.

Erza wouldn't trade these for all the weapons in the world. Not even the world itself, she dared say.

"I know what you're trying to accomplish, gaki, but you should be mature enough to know that what you're doing is really childish." Carrot-head looked up with a smile from his once-full-presently-empty bowl of ramen. Every time her sensei smiled, Erza wondered to herself she would see another smile from him, or would be the last one she'd ever seen. "You've promised, Erza."

"You must remember to keep _your_ promise as well." The redhead was referring to the one where he said he would visit '_soon'_. Erza's best attempt at a stern look directed towards Carrot-head was replied with ruffling of Erza's hair, something Erza realized would be something she missed.

Erza continued to slurp her noodles with mannerisms from her bowl, occasionally glancing at her mentor. Hidden behind his newspapers, Carrot-head was no doubt sulking. As the week drawn closer to the end, these smiles of his became more of masks to his unhappiness. Despite Carrot-head's unwillingness and Erza's fair share of persuading, but she had yet to obtain a legitimate reason for Carrot-head's unwavering decision to entrust her with someone else.

And no, "You'll be safer there." and "They can give you a family." weren't legitimate reasons.

Of course, they might have played a part in the decision, but such a decision would require some sort of catalysis or trigger. The only think that Erza deduced was that Carrot-head was going to do something dangerous and highly likely to be foolish. Something that even the tremendous power bestowed upon him couldn't guarantee protection over her.

As she was about to resume eating, she was interrupted by a sudden loud boom, which had been strong enough to create tremors, rippling her soup. Eating did not seem as important anymore, Erza realized as she dropped her chopsticks into her unfinished ramen. Carrot-head was by the window within a blink of an eye, and Erza was there too a few blinks later.

A large amount of fog rose from a fair distance from the inn they were residing in, and it didn't look like a simple explosion from a simple explosive. The fog was more specifically..."Steam..."

"Water vapor to be exact." Carrot-head pointed out, following up with a sigh, as if it was an annoying but common occurrence. Did the man settle here long enough to recognize that such explosions were common? What barbaric town/city would consider explosions a common occurrence?

"Should we investigate, Carrot-head?" Both speaking and tugging the man's shirt drew Carrot-head attention to Erza. "People might get hurt."

"Glad to know I raised you well." That was all he said before he ruffled her hair and turned on his heels to the door. Erza quickly re-equiped on some light yet trusty armor, before hurrying her footsteps to catch up with Carrot-head. Erza had thought it was an emergency, but apparently it wasn't. Carrot-head was strolling casually to the source of the explosion. Either Carrot-head was losing his heroism, or maybe this problem was not as urgent as it appeared.

But what could be more dangerous than an explosion in the middle of a city?

After a casual-a little too casual- walk to the site of the explosion, Erza saw the city people gather around the activity. They didn't seem to be frightened by the explosion at all. As Erza stepped on some crates to get a better look of the commotion, she saw several embers and ice chunks being flung somewhat wildly.

Closer inspection told Erza that this was a fight, a fight between two apparent delinquents. One using fire magic, the other using ice magic. Erza had not seen magic for a long time, but she was not glad to see magic used in such a manner. Magic was supposed to be a tool to protect someone, not silly entertainment. It was a mindless, childish, uncivilized game, and should not be allowed, especially in public.

The pink-haired fire mage threw a punch with flames forming at his knuckles, knocking the shield of the dark-haired, half-naked ice mage into glittering pieces. As modest as Erza was, their techniques were poor and unpolished, putting too much into their offense or defense at any one time, leaving way too many openings for counters.

"They aren't the strongest mages, are they?" Carrot-head's sudden words and matter-of-fact tone almost made Erza fall of the crates. Just almost. "Look at their tattoo."

Erza did, and they had an identical tattoo. A fairy-like object with something resembling a bee's stinger. Somewhere, Erza had seen this particular symbol, but she could not recall. "They're wizards from a guild called Fairy Tail. That's your soon-to-be guild."

Fairy Tail? Soon-to-be guild? This time, Erza _did _fell of the crates, falling into Carrot-head's arms, who than placed her standing in front of him. "What are you talking about, Sensei? You didn't mention a guild! And to select a guild with barbarians?"

The lack of understanding Erza had before skyrocketed to a whole new level, and she felt like she should run away instead of following Carrot-head's uncomprehending instructions. Instead of reprimanding her for her insolence, Carrot-head dropped his scowl and curved his lips slightly.

"I didn't understand Fairy Tail at first too." All the redhead could do was tilt her head in confusion.

Deciding that such inconsiderate acts were intolerable, Erza took matters into her own hands. She summoned a sword on each hand and leapt right in midst the two delinquents. The two boys glared at her, but Erza would not flinch that easily. If Carrot-head would not take action, Erza would. It was what she was taught, and how she was raised.

"Stop these barbaric acts immediately, or I'll personally incapitate you!"

"You can't talk to me like that! I'm Fiore's top mage and-" The fire mage's words were cut off, and his toes almost met the same fate. Erza had learnt to summon swords from a reasonable distance away from her, and dropping swords from midair usually scared people away. _Usually_.

The fire mage flinched a little, but had shown no intention of backing down. Instead, the delinquent instead seemed...excited? He formed a tight fist which burst in flames, punching it in the air. "You're really strong, I can tell! Let's fight!"

Erza was definitely taken aback, and she tried her best to not let it show. Changing into a more defensive stance, she beckoned the boy with her sword. This was what her magic was for. Not to go on jobs at some ridiculous guild, but to help others, like her mentor. And she would make him see.

"Yosh! I'm all fired up!" The pink-haired mage vaulted over the fence of swords and threw his burning fist at Erza, but it was sluggish and predictable. Simply by sidestepping, the blow was avoided and with a simple twirling swing as a counter, the fight should have ended the fight. Instead, her blade found the air, and the boy was seen to have had backed a considerable distance. He was more nimble than she had thought.

Once again, the pink-haired boy swung his blazing fist in a predictable manner, and instead of simply dodging and countering, Erza summoned a humongous blade. Using the blade to shield herself, the force of the blow reverberated the thick blade that the sound of the clash between metal and fist was loud and clear, causing the crowd to shield their ears from the noise.

Normally, when people punch metal as strong as her blade, they shatter the bones in their hand, which was what Erza expected to happen to the boy. But it was hardly the case. As if a brute with primal instincts, the fire mage threw punch after punch at the metal, each one harder than before in an attempt to crack the blade. Erza held her ground, letting her blade and arms take the punishment of the blow. After all, the boy would give out, he was only human. _Was he_?

"You are strong! But it doesn't mean I will lose like that!" As the boy shouted in efforts to boost his own morale, the strength of his blows increased significantly, and at this rate, there would be dents in her blade. Her five thousand jewel blade.

With her built-up strength and pent-up frustration, Erza parried away the brutish boy and tipped him off balance. The boy fell on his butt, and Erza took this opening to summon a sword and lunged it at the pink-haired delinquent. The blade stopped mere centimeters away from the boy's throat. The crowd stopped chattering and stared. "It's over."

"I'm sorry, female monster!" The boy raised his arms in defeat, tensing his entire body just by the sight of the blade. She turned to look for the other delinquent, but it seemed that he had fled midway in the fight. He must have been the smarter one.

"Good job, Erza. Let's go deliver these two to their guild, shall we?" Erza turned to see her mentor with the cloak and his hood on. Lifting a flailing, struggling raven-haired delinquent in his hand. Suppressing a shocked and impressed look, Erza only nodded. With his free hand, Carrot-head gave Erza's hair a ruffle. Erza smiled a little before turning herself towards the pink-haired boy with a glare. A glare was all was needed to get the pink-haired boy to follow without question, and Erza was starting to think that the boy's fear for her was not so much due to her battle prowess.

The crowd had dispersed by the time they headed towards the guild hall of the guild named "Fairy Tail". All Erza had to do was keep her sword and her armor with her and the two boys had complied to her like soldiers to a commander. Her mentor, however did not show any signs of recognition towards her, but she realized that it due to the need to hide his face from the two boys who were following them.

As they stopped in front of the building, Erza could not help but notice how this building stood out from its neighbors. It had bright colors, huge fonts and many of those "fairies with stingers" symbols. Noise and music could be heard blaring from the inside of the building, and Erza was once again doubting the choice of her mentor. How would this guild be better than other guilds, like that all-female guild she heard about?

"Are you sure this is your guild of choice, Carrot-head?"

"You two go into the guild hall and stay out of trouble." Erza assumed he was talking to the delinquents they subdued, and so did they. Muttering something under each of their breaths, Erza had a feeling they were cursing her, so she shot them a death glare which caught the words in their throats effectively. Once the duo disappeared behind the guild doors, her attention was once again brought back to Carrot-head, who motioned for her to follow him. She was reluctant at first, but she was a thousand times more reluctant when she realized that if this was the guild Carrot-head wanted Erza to be in, he might be dumping her here right now.

But instead of going with her gut feeling, she went with Carrot-head's instructions, knowing fully of his intentions. Because she promised, and she was a woman of her words.

As her orange-haired companion made her way into an alley, she hurried to catch up to him. As she turned the corner, it only took a blink to miss what happened. Erza felt a grip on her collar within a fraction of a second and within that same second, she was in a different room.

This room had papers scattered everywhere, and it was almost covered in white. Someone else covered in white was the weird old man wearing pajamas, hair a bleached white. The most prominent feature of this peculiar man, which added to his level of strangeness, was the man's height. No more than a volume of encyclopedias.

"Erza, this is Makarov, a friend of mine. He is the guild master here. He will be your guild master in the future." Carrot-head spoke while leaning lazily against the door.

Erza scrutinized the midget visually, noticing his odd yet friendly man appeared more like screw-loose than a guild master, or a master of anything for that matter. What was with Carrot-head's lapse of judgements? "Sensei, I-"

"He might look mental, but he's actually a Wizard Saint." Erza almost snorted at that, before she realized that Carrot-head kept his ever-solemn scowl, telling her that he was anything but kidding.

"It's a little rude to call someone "mental", Kurosaki-san." The man did look mental though and-wait, did the man call Carrot-head..."Kurosaki?"

Carrot-head chuckled lightly at Erza's shocked state, while Erza could only blush at how she blurted out what she was pondering about like an empty vessel. "My last name is Kurosaki, but that's about all you're going to know about my name. For a long time at least." The man ended with a smile.

"Anyways, this must be Erza." The midget walked up to her and Erza had to make an effort not to back away. She felt significantly safer when she realized that the man was shorter than she was, temporarily forgetting that this man was a Wizard Saint.

"Yes, this is. I'll be leaving you in her care for now. Do you have the patches I asked from Porlyusica-san?" The old man nodded before walking back to his desk and jumped on a stack of books. After rummaging through a large stack of keys, the midget found the correct one and retrieved a package from a compartment hidden from view.

As Carrot-head was accepting the patches, Erza noted that he was trying to hide the labeling from her, and though she was curious and worried about its contents and what these 'patches' actually do, she didn't ask. Over the past time they were together, Erza gotten used to not asking too many questions about the man, instead allowing the answers to reveal themselves.

"So...this is it. Goodbye, Erza." Carrot-head walked towards the window before Erza instinctively gripped the man's shirt before he left through the open window. Even though Erza had told herself she would not cry when this day came, she could feel the tears well up. It was like a hazy dream, and that from the time she met Carrot-head till now, she had been dreaming. It was cruel, knowing that this dream was actually ending.

"I'll visit soon. Fight for me and this guild till then, okay?" Carrot-head gave one of the weakest smile Erza had seen coming from him, so weak that it looked much like a frown. Erza nodded pathetically, before Erza stepped forward to melt herself into the side of her mentor. His cloak soaked her built-up tears, much like what he had done over the years. Soaking up all of her tears.

And now who would wipe her tears from now on?

Before she knew it, his body was replaced with air, and she fell onto the floor. It felt like a rapier plunged all the way through her heart, and it was painful. A pain that she doubt will leave. Her stomach, her heart and her lungs were either constricted or contracted. It was a feeling that brought the word 'hurt' to a whole new level.

It was cruel. It was just too cruel.

Losing the strength in her knees, they buckled and Erza fell to her knees. Her skin scraped against the wooden floor, but the pain did not make it to her mind. She was doing all she can to hold herself together, but she feared it was not enough.

"Erza, he said he would visit, and he would. If you know him like I do, you'd know that he is a man of his word." She did, and she almost smacked herself forgetting that. He _would_ visit, and it was time for her prepare for his visit. In such a barbaric guild, there was bound to be struggles, but Erza swore that she would overcome them, at least until her mentor comes back. She will train, and she will train hard. The next time they meet, she would flaunt her strength and make him proud.

This was her motivation.

"How about you meet the family?"

Wiping away any remaining moisture in her eyes, Erza got up. With a new drive within her, the redhead had contorted her face to the definition of 'determination'. Makarov smiled at her newfound spirit, and walked towards the only door in the room. The doorknob was over his head, but he reached it anyways. The young girl felt anticipation rising within her, anxious to see _her _guild hall. Not after one last look back at her, the guild master swung the door ajar. The noise and music blared in her face.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail!"


	6. Death God's Log 1: Rebellion

First chapter from Kurosaki's point of view. These are going to be once every end of an arc, not a very common thing.

Also, I'll be skipping a lot of arcs from the canon. The ones that are definitely in are the **Phantom Lord Arc**, **Tower of Heaven Arc **(duh...), **Tenrou Island Arc **and the **Grand Magic Games Arc**. I know the GMG Arc isn't finish, but I intend to use one character from that arc (hint: girl)

Side Quest: PM me who you think is the character I'm adding that will play a significant role in the story. I'm curious to know how obvious it is.

Main Quest: PM me ideas for other arcs that act like fillers, because the plot arcs are the four arcs in bold.

Due to cursing and future intimacy (not lemons), the rating might have to be buffed to M. I don't know when, but if the story is already in your Favorites or Follows, it shouldn't be a problem. Just more benefits of Faving and Following.

Next chapter is seventeen year-old Erza, not sixteen. Enjoy the first adventure log of Kurosaki, the Death God.

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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He sat cross-legged while leaning on an isolated tree by a cliff, looking down on a shore occasionally swept by the ocean. It calmed him, and inner serenity was something he needed very much. He could feel 'it' growing in strength and himself losing control. The sight was a sedative for the mind, allowing him to remind himself that he was still in control, that he could still witness and appreciate the beauty of a scenery. It left him in a trance, something he was not too proud of, but after all, he was only human.

Despite what the rumors suggested, he was indeed human.

It was only when a soft but unnatural breeze hit him did he realize that his visitor had arrived. The man was petite, but his presence was recognizable half a mile away. Clearing his head of any remnant of the trance, he simultaneously got up to stretch, feeling some of the lethargy that had built up in his legs disintegrate. As his back settled back onto the tree, footsteps could be heard and soon, the man walked and halted in front of him. Or more like beneath him.

"Makarov, it's been a while. Has Erza been giving you any trouble?"

"Quite the opposite. She's been helping keep the two brats in line. Also, people are calling her one of the strongest female mages in Fiore. S-Class was not much of a feat for her. I haven't seen anyone quite like her other than Mirajane." There was something off about Makarov's words. His old friend should know that he didn't care much about achievements or titles.

"There's something you're not telling me." As he had expected, Makarov sighed before speaking.

"Ezra has a tendency of keeping her armor on everywhere she goes. She only talks to a few people and scares others away. It's a big problem, Kuro-san. You should visit her. She already suspects that you aren't doing what you described in your letters. She thinks you're doing something foolish, and she still worries even after these few years."

A sulk was let out on his face. It was not surprising that Ezra would worry, since it was who she was and what he himself had taught to the redhead. There was no doubt that he was glad to know that Ezra didn't forget him, but knowing that she was holding onto something unworthy of her time was upsetting.

"I will soon. Have you brought the patches I requested?" It was a forced change of subject, but it should serve its purpose. Makarov nodded and took out a package from within his coat, tossing it to him. He caught it and examined its contents before turning his tucking it safely in his magic space.

"Oh, and Porlyusica wants you to stop bothering her." They shared a light chuckle before Makarov switched into a solemn expression, ceasing the chuckle. "You shouldn't overuse them. It drains your magic too. Find someone to seal 'it' soon."

He nodded, thanking the oldman for his concern as well as promising to do so. He could feel 'it' surfacing at a dangerous pace, and it was definitely wise to get it sealed, but the freedom to do so was highly limited. "I have too much magic anyways. Keep me posted on Ezra's condition."

As he was about to go walk away from the cliff (a platform that should not have weight on it), Makarov spoke up again, recapturing the attention.

"Yajima told me about what you were doing. He doubts-no, we doubt that the Council would let you go. Your magic power is too useful and threatening. For your own and Ezra's sake, get out of this mess. She needs you." All he could do was lower his head to gaze at the floor. A sense of guilt filled him along with regret, despair and other things, none of them pleasant. They were generated when he realised that he had brought Ezra into this mess. He had became attached to Ezra and selfishly attached Ezra to himself.

He thought he saved Ezra, when in fact he dragged her into a bigger mess than she was originally in.

Despite all that he was feeling, he walked on, not looking back at the guild master. Somewhere he knew that Mavis, the first, was frowning at him. But judging by the fact that he wasn't blasted off the island, the First should understand. She probably could, since this was her island, and she was the one that let him in anyways.

He took long quiet strides all the way back to the shore, where he got on his magic-powered boat and left Tenrou Island, muttering a silent "thank you" to Fairy Tail, for everything that they had done for him so far. He pumped some of his excess magic into the lacrima, watching the lacrima exude wind and propel the boat to his intended destination.

As he neared the docks, he saw the crowd of rune knights that were waiting for him. As he closed the distance a little more, a womanly figure was seen standing at the utmost front. It was no doubt his escort, one of the most enigmatic woman he had seen. He had a niche for seeing through people, but this woman had constructed a wall that blocked out emotions so well, her efforts were probably what made him suspicious.

He was greeted by the dark-haired, well-endowed woman, and her trusty orb. The rune knights stood at attention, probably because anyone working for the Council knew what he was capable of. Even though they were still clueless to the full extent of it.

As he stepped out of the boat, his escort outstretched her hand to gesture him to walk beside her, which he complied. As they walked, the rune knights formed a rectangular perimeter while marching, disallowing people on the inside and the outside to look past the walls. Maybe people had gained word on the threat named Kuro, the Death God, and this was the Council's attempt to not spread fear.

"How was your talk with Makarov Dreyar, Kuro-kun~" He had lived with this escort for the past six months, but could never suppress a shudder from the woman's purr-like speech.

"It was fine, Ultear. It would be better if you could just help me convince the Council to leave me alone." He said with a mix of desperation and humor.

"You know I can't do that, Kuro-kun. But what I can do is make you enjoy your job. Maybe, while you stay at the luxurious quarters the Council had provided you, I could accompany you and I could..." Ultear purred a little at the last word, sending several sub-zero chills down his spine.

He used to be unable to handle such sultry, and he still couldn't handle it all that well. But what the swordsman could do was keep calm, something he only got used to after a very long time. He knew that revealing any form of embarrassment or nervousness would only encourage his escort.

He looked back over his shoulder to look back at Ultear, trying his hardest not to swallow saliva at the generous cleavage she was revealing to him. "Aren't you supposed to be a Council member?"

Ultear leaned once more, whispering words like brandishing hidden daggers. "Aren't you supposed to be the Commander of the Rune Knights, _Kurosaki-taichou_? Or was it called something else back then?"

Kurosaki stiffened. His identity, something he so desperately tried to hide, was in the hands of the same people he specifically hiding it from, the Council. He clenched his fists in frustration at how his efforts to hide his past had been futile, something he would not expect. He'd burned all documents, pictures, records and memoirs that had the slightest hint of his existence, but it seemed that it was not enough.

"How-" Ultear placed a hand on his shoulder to interject him, a soft touch feeling a lot more threatening than it should.

"Relax. This information is for my personal reference. I haven't told the Council, and I probably won't." Ultear picked up the pace of her footsteps, walking by his side and giving him a grin that he could not ignore.

"Why?" His scowl deepened consciously, telling Ultear that he was not in the mood for fun and games. The information she carried would endanger not only her but many people around him.

"Because, like you, _Kuro-kun_, I'm not the Council's lackey, but merely their agent." Her grin grew to something more fox-like, and he was more spooked out than when she was all suggestive. Despite the chills he received, he did not show fear, but tried to invoke it instead. But he knew that this was no simple woman, and she could probably appear fearless in front of hungry dragons.

It was a dangerous game disguised as a conversation, and he could not afford to lose.

"What will use your information for?" Blackmail was his best bet.

"I'm not going to extort you, Kuro-kun. Unlike the old geezers on the seats, I don't crave political power or money. My goals are way more sophisticated." Despite the guards surrounding him listening on the conversation, Ultear was not afraid of voicing her words. But then again, her answer did not reveal much, as expected. He was never for mind games, but he knew the basics. His rollercoaster-ride of a life made sure he learnt.

"You didn't answer the question."

"I never said I would."

Kurosaki was about to retort, but his words were overlapped by a loud dragging noise, as if gold bars were dragged on the ground. In this case, it was large metal, engraved doors. He was so focus on his little game with Ultear, he had lost track of time and location. As the large, engraved, metal doors audibly swung open, the other side was revealed to be the remaining, less-female members of the council.

They sat in a half-circle, the head of the council in the middle while the remaining members sat in no particular order on his sides. Other than Yajima, who was he was well-acquainted with, the only person that he could recognize was the Jellal Fernandas doppelganger, Siegran...something.

The guards backed out of the room and Ultear took her seat in the raised half-circle. Only two guards remained, either because they underestimated him or realized that having guards were wastes of manpower. But regardless, he surveyed the area, plotting escape routes that would result in the least casualties.

The head of the Council spoke, ceasing all planning that went on in his head. "Kuro, the Death God, you full name?"

"I thought I made it pretty clear that a quarter of my full name was all you'll ever get." At least he could be sure that Ultear _did_ keep her information to herself.

"You have been serving us for the past 5 years, the Council should at least know your full name. Be contented that we do not conduct painful research experiments on you." After countless meetings, the chairman should have known that scare tactics never worked on him.

"First of all, I was hardly obligated to comply with you. Never mistake that for serving you. Second, what made you think your _researchers_ could lay a finger on me? Be contented I'm willing to solve this peacefully." Murmurs were heard from the other council members, the only one not murmuring being the chairman, who was busy seething with anger. He knocked his mallet harshly on the desk, silencing the murmurs.

"Do not forget that Fairy Tail is still under our laws, and I have the power to disband them at will-"

"I believe that I already warned you about laying a finger on Fairy Tail." He stared straight at the chairman, forming a look that could defy physics by killing through a stare. He wasn't going to allow anyone to touch the people he cared for, and he would even go so far as to kill.

His clothes burst into a glow, and immediately the guards brought down their spears to point it at him. The glow disappeared to reveal a shihakusho with a white coat over it, and his hand gripping the sword named Zangetsu, the crescent-shaped cleaver. He didn't trigger the re-equip; he wouldn't be so stupid as to reveal his identity with the robes he were wearing. However, it was too late, as he saw the chairman and the other council members gaped at his robes, no doubt recognizing it.

_**Did you see the look on their faces, King? Fucking hilarious!**_

Kurosaki froze at the sound of _its_ voice. He lifted his sleeve to check his patches, but realized that they had already corroded away. After mentally cursing himself, he turned his attention to the demon inside of him.

_Why the hell did you do that?_

_**Because it's funny? Gosh, King, loosen up! Let's kill them and take the throne! One-man Council, how bout' that?**_

_I'm warning you, you'd better not fuck with me, or I'll-_

_**Or you'll what? I'm stronger than you, King. Your stupid patches don't do shit. I'm taking over for a while, so stay cozy in the back of that mind of yours!**_

A white liquid-like substance escaped his mouth in a similar fashion as puking, and it formed a mask. Even though it covered his face, it did not actually restrict his vision. It was like looking at his own body from behind a glass window. He found himself moving his arms without his own accord, as his huge cleaver was raised. With a heavy swing, a crescent of energy was flung out in a wave. The guards weren't fast enough to stop him, probably still stricken in fear. The wave of energy barely missed the chairman, but instead pulverize the metal and marble in its way, creating carnage that shocked the witnesses life out of their shells.

"**Listen, old geezers! If you hadn't guessed already,"** He turned around and gestured with his thumb to the number one written in Kranji on his white coat's back. "**I'm the Head Commander in the First Division of the former army of the Council. If you read your history books, you would know not to fuck with me. If you do decide to fuck with me, I won't hesitate to kill you, your family, and anyone who lives in your hometown.**

"**Here's what gonna happen: I'm gonna walk out of here, while you mind your own business in this little clubhouse of yours. If you don't, I'll mind your business for you." **With that, he (or his body) stepped closer to the metal doors. With a swing of his sword, the thick, heavy metal of the left door severed into half, and with a kick, the cut-out piece fell forward and thudded against the marble flooring, resounding throughout the entire building. As he stepped out of the door, the guards simply ran at the sight of him.

With a quick flashstep, he rammed straight out of the window, landing on the ground outside. Despite the situation his inner demon just placed him in, the skies never look clearer. The sun shone brighter than he could remember.

_**Didn't that feel great? Should have killed them though.**_

It did, but he wasn't going to admit it.

_Just shut up and get back in._

_**Remember, King, I'm always fighting for the crown.**_

_And I'm constantly defending._

A snort was the last thing he heard from his own mind before he took control of his limbs. The first thing he did was rip the mask of his face, tossing it on the ground. The second thing was to slap on one of the new patches; once bitten, twice shy.

And the third thing he did was flashstep towards the general direction of the land of Fiore. His identity was blown, but then again, he made the Council back off, even if for a while.

But worrying would come later. Because right now, there was someone he needed to see.


	7. Arc 2: Erza and Her Suspicions

A lot of things to talk about, and it would really help if fellow writers could PM me to give me some opinions.

First, Kurosaki has a past that links to a very big event, which links to a modified version Bleach universe. So yes, characters from Bleach (Rukia, Renji, even Toshiro and Byakuya) are/will be a significant part of Kurosaki's story. (This is related to the third part)

Second, it seems that I gave away the chracter I was about to add. I got four responses, and all four were the correct answer. Any other characters you wanna see introduced, hit me with a PM and I'll let you know if I'll put them in or not. Any ideas that uses anything from PMs will be credited.

Third, Kurosaki is different, and there are reasons. His past, his chronological age and his experiences are vague examples. So it's not really OOC.

Lastly, updates will be a little slower, est. one chapter every week or so. Trying to increase word count as well.

Ok, that's it. Wait, one more thing. This might edge towards harem, but probably won't be something to absurd. I'll try my best to not take it too far.

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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The land known as the Fiore Kingdom, or specifically, the city of Magnolia was bustling this season.

This year, there seems to be a lot more people on the streets, and all kinds of merchandises had dropped in prices. Luckily, Mira had cashed in on the opportunity to splurge on clothing, giving her some company while she shopped for some merchandise as well. Mira practically hopped from shop to shop, staying for a quarter of an hour or so, leaving with multiple bags in hand. By the tenth shop, Erza was pretty sure the bags had weighed at least a ton.

Luckily for the girls, Natsu and Gray _volunteered_ to help with their shopping.

"C'mon, Erza! Could we please go back now?" Natsu groaned. It had been a few hours, and Natsu's arms had became racks for Mira's multiple bags of clothing. She was slightly impressed by Natsu's ability to keep his arms up, but it did not mean he was allowed to give up. Erza hated quitters.

"You and Gray volunteered. Save your strength and hold on to the bags properly, one of them is slipping."

"We asked where you and Mira were going! How is that volunteering!" Natsu yelled, which Erza took as a display of insolence. She turned back, sending a glare back at the pink-haired boy. An expression that was supposed to show displeasure was instead scary, signifying something ominious to the person caught in its gaze. If she looked a little closer, she would notice the goosebumps on Natsu's arms.

"Natsu...did I just hear you defy me?" Said boy straightened his back and raised his hand to his forehead in a salute.

"NO, MA'AM!" Erza glared at Gray for good measure, and he replicated Natsu's position, despite the strain on both of their arms.

A loud yet feminine cackle came from Mira, and Erza was offended, not sure whether the cackle was intended for Natsu and Gray or for her. To Erza, it wasn't very humourous. "You sure are good with boys, tin can!"

"Shut up, slag! It's my responsibility to discipline the boys if they misbehave!"

Muttering came from Gray. "No one asked you to discipline us..."

"Did you say something, Gray?" Another glare was shot towards Gray, and combined with the sound of Erza's gauntlets tightening to form of a fist, the half-naked Gray cowered behind Natsu, trembling and sweating in traumatic fear. From the looks of it, Gray would choose his words properly the next time he decided to speak.

They continued walking down the streets, occasionally glancing at some stores, but most of them had already been visited by Mira. Gray and Natsu seemed to have lost steam, trailing behind pathetically, and their hands appeared to have lost some blood-circulation. Deciding that a good leader should exercise empathy, Erza allowed Natsu and Gray to go back to the guild with Mira.

"Where're you heading, tin can? Going to but some cake to stuff yourself over how unpopular you are?" Mira grinned even though her insult was not the least bit humorous, and Erza could not be bothered to retort. Trust Mira to hurl an insult at her every instance she can.

"Yes, I'm going to buy some cake, but not for that reason." As Erza was not in the mood to have a banter with Mira, she simply turn the other way and fled from the group, making a few turns to make sure she appeared as if she _was_ going to the cake shop.

But Erza never went to the cake shop ever since she had ordered the lifetime supply of cake that would be delivered weekly to the guild. She went to the one place that deviated from her her life surrounding Fairy Tail.

She went to the post office.

The post office was a particularly old building, and was not as crowded as when it was in its prime. There were only a few counters open and a few people in each queue. Due to the lack of people, Erza felt at peace going about her business here, way from prying eyes. She made her way to an open counter, and due to her reputation as one of Fiore's strongest female mages, everyone in line switched to a different queue. Either they feared her or respected her. To Erza, it was most likely the latter.

She approached the now-empty counter and asked for any letters that might have been for her. It had been six years since he left, six years since she had joined Fairy Tail. The first year had been tough, just trying to get over the fact that the only communication she had with her mentor were letters. The second year was slightly easier, and by then she had made friends with the most rowdy people in the guild, which was commendable as the guild was generally rowdy. And by the third year, she finally saw this guild as family, just like her mentor said she would.

But there was a missing piece in this family, and Erza had never let her mind stop worrying about that missing piece.

"I'm sorry, Erza, no letters today. It's strange though, it has been a week since the last letter. The sender used to regularly sent a letter every few days."

"Yes, it is strange indeed." Without a second word, Erza left the counter and with a few more steps, the building. She made her way back to the guild, but in a slow, pace, allowing herself to think.

If she was worried before, she was flustered by now. Despite her best attempts to convince herself otherwise, the only logical reasoning was that her mentor was in some sort of trouble. Not once did Erza believe that her mentor was actually doing whatever he said in his letters.

Who would believe that he fought a giant squid in the middle of a desert?

Lost in thought, Erza lost track of time and location, finding herself at the front doors of the guild but having no recollection of ever walking so quickly. As she heard the commotion coming from within the guild hall, Erza sighed. Never did Fairy Tail have a day of silence, but maybe the rowdiness was what she needed to take her mind of her mentor.

The doors opened and Erza was a little surprise to see people gathered around in a circle. There seems to be a commotion going on...which was louder than usual.

"C'mon, Natsu! Master won't be happy to know that you're picking a fight with visitors!" The plea sounded like it came from Lisanna, and now Erza was giving it some attention. Natsu's violent tendencies seemed to have spread to people other than guildmates, compelling Erza to discipline him. Despite Erza's authority around here, people did not seem to pay heed to her, so she had to forcefully weave her way through.

"It's fine, Lisanna! I know him, and he's really strong, definitely stronger than Erza! There's no way I'll pass up a chance to fight against someone this strong!" Stronger than her?

"Che...you can't even beat Erza, much less this guy!" Even Gray thought that this man was stronger than her? Murmurs questioning this man's strength could be heard, so he certainly wasn't famous. This had peaked her curiosity, and she would like to at least catch a glimpse of this man. It was proving difficult, however, with the massive crowd that were attracted.

"I really wouldn't want to ruin this strawberry cake I bought for Erza, so..."

That voice...it struck a chord within her. That man's tone rang a bell within her, the way he articulate his words, as if unconsciously intimidating, but yet his words don't fit his tone. Who would sound so intimadating while trying to deliver strawberry cake to her?

Strawberry...cake? Could it be...and to think she delayed her trip back to the guild! With an incentive as important as this, Erza shoved the crowd away, praying to the heavens that she was right. As she weaved through the bodies, whispers commenting on orange hair and tall builds raised her hopes and made her thousand times more impatient.

"It wasn't a question, I'm not taking 'no' for an answer!" Just as Natsu let out his warcry, Erza had made it to the front of the crowd, trying to spot the man who was in the spotlight.

He stood there holding a box, scowling, with his eye-catching orange hair.

"Sensei!"

Her cry caught her mentor's attention, as well as the whole crowd's, but Erza was not concerned about that. He continued scowling for a little while, probably unable to recognize her. Six years later, she had grown considerably, but her mentor had a timeless face, and it barely changed at all. It made her suspect that it had been a daydream, as his face was exactly as she remembered.

Then, he had a look of surprise, as if she had stunned him just by her presence. His face transited to a smile, so heart-warming that it outshined his hair. That face was real...and perfect, she wouldn't have it any other way. He spoke in a way miles apart from a few seconds ago.

"Oh, gaki! You've-"

"Look out!" A member of the crowd cried, and Erza turned her head seconds too late to see Natsu charging towards her mentor like a bloodthirsty brute. There was barely time to dodge, and Natsu's fist was already searing with flames. The best the target could do was brace, as even time to prepare a defensive stance was scarce.

But Carrot-head...he defied the laws of the universe again.

A flicker of an image was the last thing Erza saw in her mentor's location, and Natsu, who was definitely expecting a solid object, only met air and crashed into the bar counter. The real thing flickered right in front of Erza, box still in hand. The crowd laughed and clapped at the scene, both impressed and amused, but Erza was neither. Six years ago, she had seen his incredible feats many times.

Erza was relief and elated to be able to see them once more.

"So...Erza. As I was saying, you've grown quite tall! You're hair is longer too! I bought some cake from the neighboring town and-" He stopped talking, looking at her strangely. For a while, Erza didn't know what was so strange. Was he unhappy the way she grew up? Was there something wrong with her?

He raised his hand to cup her cheek, and that soft contact alone made Erza's heat cheeks heat up. His thumb wiped below her eyes, and when she realized wht he was doing , she was even more embarrassed. There was a smudge of moisture, evidence of tears. He cracked another smile, his hand leaving her face and placed soundly on her back, enveloping her in a hug. Leaning in a little more, she let her head rest in the nape of his neck.

It was real, the warmth of his jacket and the scent on him. She almost wanted to smack him like she always did to Gray and Natsu, for making her worry, but she wouldn't. He was much too precious to her, and she was just glad to have him back. A bright glow emitted from her armor and soon, the metal gauntlets and chestplate were back in her magic space, even though she did not consciously trigger it. So caught up in the moment, she must have accidentally unequipped it.

But she didn't feel the need to wear her armor, all the protection she needed was here. Her guild, Kurosaki-sensei...all of them are by her side.

Speaking of her guild, they had been awfully quiet for the past few moments. Detaching her head from the nape of his neck, she looked around. Eyes...plenty of eyes on her...or more specifically, on her compromising position. Erza could see it...her reputation, her authority and the air around her., draining from the people's minds.

As quickly as possible, Erza pushed herself away from her mentor, re-equiping into the default armor she was wearing seconds ago. "U-Uh, sensei, why don't we find a table?"

"Oh, sure." Her mentor did not seem to notice the eyes on them, but she could not say the same for herself. "I almost forgot. Is Makarov in?"

"Y-Yes, he's in..." Erza could not believe she had just stuttered. In fact, Erza always thought she was most at ease when with Carrot-head, and he seemed to be acting pretty much identical to six years ago. Was it because they hugged? It was normal, or at least it should have been normal, as it was natural since they became so close. What had changed within the past six years?

"...so I'll have a chat with Makarov and then we could talk. Erza?"

"Y-Yes, sure." Despite trying to maintain composure, the stuttering did not go away.

"Erza." The way he suddenly called out her name made Erza jump, something that did not happen too often. She turned to look at him, his jovial expression made her expect pleasant news, and she could not be more correct.

"I'm staying."

She shook her head, hoping what she thought he said was not a result of her messed-up mind. "You are?"

"I've more or less solved my problems, so there shouldn't be any problem with staying." He ruffled her hair like old times, even though it was a little more awkward since she was taller. Her thought process was still trying hard to process what her mentor just promised. As she did so, she watched as her mentor casually walked to the guild master's office.

There was no doubt Erza was glad that he was staying, but it did not haze her perception. Something must have happened, something that may need attention from Erza. She had never prodded in Carrot-head's matters, but she had the sudden urge to do so. A hunch was what Erza would describe it as. Inspecting the view of his back from afar was all she had done, and was probably all she would do.

"He's quite the hottie, isn't he?" The sudden words filled with devious intents snapped her out of her trance, and from the effortlessly-suggestive tone and blunt words, it was obvious which demoness could have spat those words.

"What is it, Mira? I'm not in the mood to have an argument with you." Erza quite enjoyed an exchange of callous insults with Mira occasionally, but this occasion was not one of them.

"Aren't you the least bit curious in whatever he wants to talk to the Master about? Maybe he's joining the guild!" Erza was indeed curious, but curiosity does not justify eavesdropping. But worry should suffice. After all, Carrot-head and Master Makarov would forgive her if she had good intentions, would they not?

Trying to draw as little attention as possible to herself, Erza walked to the guild master's office, stopping to lean against the door and pressing her ear against it. While trying to position herself such that she had a better ear on the conversation, she noticed that Mira was behind her, trying to listen in as well.

"What are you-"

"Shhhh..." Mira placed a finger on her lips, grinning ever so irkingly just because Erza did not retort. Erza could not retort, to be exact, or she would risk exposing her location and activity. Trying to ignore Mira's presence, something not as easy as it sounds, Erza pried her ears open and listened intently on the conversation.

"Makarov...I'm really sorry to have brought this mess to you-"

"This 'mess' is endangering the lives of my children! You threatened the council members' lives and thrashed the Council's headquarters! They could have us disbanded if they wanted to!" Threatening the lives of Council members and trashing the Council's headquarters did not seem like something Carrot-head would do. Carrot-head was usually calm, reserved and thoughtful, so what triggered such a reaction?

"I'm sorry, Makarov, but I've heard they already gave you trouble even though I was already complying to them. I couldn't stand by and watch them mistreat Fairy Tail." Complying to the Council? That must have been what Carrot-head was doing for the past six years. He was protecting her and her guild even without her knowledge, and Erza could tell even the likes of Mira would be grateful.

"I understand, but it isn't like you to lose your cool so easily. Is it because of-"

"Yes. But let's not talk about that. I'm in need of lodging, but the inns in this area might have been notified about me. I can only trust so few people these days." Erza would have offered lodging to Carrot-head if it weren't for the fact that she was living in the girl's domitory.

The door opened suddenly, and due to her position largely relying on the door as support, Erza almsot fell into the room, barely reacting by shifting balance between legs. Both her guild master and her mentor looked at her, and was somewhat shocked that Mira was not the least bit embarrassed about getting caught.

But it soon struck Erza that her master and her mentor did not find out about them, but rather it was Mira who exposed them by opening the door.

"I have a private apartment. I can take Erza's mentor in without any trouble!"

What Mira did not know that trouble was what she was about to get, or at least what Erza was about to give her. But thankfully, Carrot-head was cautious, his secrecy coming into good use. "Why would you help me, Miss..."

"I'm Mirajane Strauss, an S-Class wizard of Fairy Tail. And of course I would help you, as any friend of Erza is a friend of mine!" Every word that came out of Mira's mouth nauseated Erza. They were clearly on each other's bad sides, and Erza could only pray that Carrot-head would see through this ruse and notice that Mira was no saint.

But he did not. "Oh, a friend of Erza's! And Makarov said she was not sociable..." Her master grinned sheepishly, and Mira smiled.

"She's not my "friend", in fact, she's always hurling insults at me and-"

"You're so funny, Erza! Didn't we go shopping together just now?" One of the biggest reasons why Erza feels the need to murder Mira is the way she twists her words, and she had half the heart to end her right there and then. "How about it, Mister..."

"Kuro. And since you offered, I will have to accept, I guess." If only Erza could do something, to stop him. Or maybe even let him know the dangers of living in the demoness' house. But she couldn't, because Mira was a born actor, a born schemer.

A born seducer.

"I'll show you my apartment then. Erza, could you tend the bar for a while?" Of course not! Erza would not stand to allow her mentor to be near that demoness alone, in her own lair. But what could she do to expose the two-faced demoness, before the Mira actually accomplishes her goal. "Fifteen minutes."

She just got her mentor back, and she won't want to lose him so quickly.

"Let's go, Kuro-kun!" With presumably-ingenuine enthusiasm, Mira grabbed her mentor by the hand and led him out of the office and out of the guild, leaving Erza to watch the view of their backs. A pang of jealousy hit her, as it was saddening to know that Carrot-head would be spending less time with her while living with Mira. Was this a way for Mira to torture her, by cutting down the time she got to spent with her mentor? But as Erza made her way to the bar, a crazier thought hit her.

What if Mira was planning something simpler? Something simply between a man and a woman?


	8. Arc 2: Erza and Her Curiosity

Just a chapter I put together. It's sorta of a romance arc, but I won't give it away by telling you what kind of romance it is. Now is a little bit of the less-important plot, but I promise by the end of it, the plot would essentially become a lot more significant.

Also, this is NOT a "Kurosaki dimension-travels" story, so I'll make up stuff. For example, characters from Bleach are just normal people, not souls and stuff. My story, my universe. Not really my universe but...you get the drift

Chapters are slow, but I'll keep them coming as regularly as possible. Got the plot all safely stored in my cerebrum, so plotting is no longer an issue.

Gotta pop some champagne for 100 favs, so enjoy the chapter.

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Disclaimer: Not my character...

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Ringing the doorbell of Mira's apartment, Erza could not help but feel nervous.

The Strauss household was a average white building with it's own roofs and windows, located in the corner of Magnolia. The great thing about the estate was that behind it was a huge expanse of plains, and hence training would be a lot more convenient, but it wasn't as if Mira trained. To be honest, Erza would be lying if she said she wasn't jealous, but her magic requires her to spend a large sum of jewels on weaponry, and she could not afford an apartment in such a great location even if she saved for the next five years.

The bad thing about the estate was that due to the fact that it was in the corner of Magnolia, it was miles away from Fairy Hills.

Despite this, she woke up in the wee hours in the morning just to make her trip to Mira's house. It was not by choice that Erza woke up early, but Erza had been losing sleep last night ever since the thought struck her that Mira could be up to something.

If Mira were to seduce her mentor successfully, Erza wouldn't have a mentor to refine her skills and therefore Mira would excel her in terms of fighting. Yes, that was what Erza was worried about.

That was why Erza was about to put her mind at ease by verifying her mentor's safety with her own eyes. So imagine how surprised Erza was when her mentor let her in while half-naked, his torso bared.

Her mentor did not seem to mind not wearing a shirt, which may have been understandable since the sun had been blazing this morning, if not for the fact that there were two other women excluding Erza who were opened to view. "Erza, you're here early. You're here to bring me to the library, aren't you?"

"Y-Yes...W-Why aren't you wearing-" Her cheeks flushed at the sight of her mentor who's toned body make women faint with just a glance. But of course, Erza was a different case, as this was her mentor. Even then, she was a little light-headed.

"Oh, my shirt. Mira spilled some coffee on my shirt so she went to wash it."

"Y-You should put on another shirt, Sensei. There are other females in the house and it may be inappropriate." Erza wished she would stop stuttering or licking her lips, but she was only female, and that was all the justification she needed.

"Mira took all my shirts to wash last night, and they aren't dry yet so I'm stuck without a shirt. Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable-"

"No, not at all!" Erza said a little too hastily, earning a bewildered look from her mentor. Her face took on a whole new shade of red, almost blending with her hair. She tried to think regain composure by looking away from her mentor's torso, but looking straight at his face made Erza feel heat on her neck as well. Instead, she settled for staring at the ground, feeling like a fool for being unable to look at her mentor regularly.

"Kuro-kun!" A shrill and irksome voice called out from the house. At the mere sound of that voice, Erza could not help but frown. Mira hopped jovially to her mentor, and to Erza's utmost distaste, hugged him from the back for no rhyme or reason, placing her chin on his shoulder. "Eh? Why's Erza here?"

Her mentor, who was obviously not at all comfortable with such close contact, fidgeted uncomfortably but made no attempt to tell Mira to let go. Instead, all he did was chuckle sheepishly, hoping Erza would not misunderstand, and she didn't. It was blatantly obvious that Mira was the one hoping to evoke jealousy within Erza.

But Erza refused to let it affect her. She, however, did not restrain any glares directed at Mira.

"Erza's taking me to the library. Maybe Erza could have breakfast with us since she's here and I didn't take breakfast yet? Is that fine, Mira?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I invite Erza in? She came here plenty of times! Didn't you, Erza?"

"Yes, to fight with you to do the death in your backyard." Erza replied curtly, and Mira only giggled, acting all gracious.

"Yes, we did spar a lot. And Kuro-kun, could you sit at the couch? I'll apply the lotion for scalds for you, just in case." Lotion? The coffee, the timing of his clothes sent for laundry, the lotion...it was no coincidence.

"I-I'll apply it myself, since I'm already troubling you with my laundry and-"

"I'm the on who spilled the coffee, don't be so embarrassed, Kuro-kun~" She could ee the nervousness written all over her mentor's face as he sat down on the couch apprehensively. Erza could only watch as Mira sat beside him and glided her hand over her mentor's chest, a little too slowly and gently. Her lubricated hand caressed every part of him, as if the coffee spilled over his entire torso. "How does it feel, Kuro-kun?"

Ezra had therefore concluded that Mira had thrown away her shame. Deciding to save her mentor from his misery (or she assumed it was misery), Erza spoke up. "Sensei, the library's opening soon so we should buy something on the way, don't you think so?"

"Y-Yes, great idea! Tell Elfman I'll borrow one of his shirts!" Her mentor got up from the chair and flickered for a brief second, his hand holding a normal black T-shirt in the blink of an eye. He quickly put it on, even though the lotion on his torso had yet to dry. "Thank you, Mira."

"Come back for dinner on time, okay?" Mira gave a synthetic smile which hid her grin, Carrot-head for some reason unable to see through it.

He waved to Mira and grabbed Erza's hand, pulling her out of the apartment. The momentary contact made caught the breath in Erza's throat. All these reactions Erza had were not normal, and maybe she would do some research. But one thing was sure; whatever it was, it was hindering her relationship with her mentor.

They made their way to the library, which was bearly open. The enormous building looked like a monument, and maybe it was considering how old the building looked. Old in a good way, that is. Due to it's massive size, this would be a great place to talk as there is simply so much room that there would always be an empty corner. The section they visited was the 'weaponry and war' section, and it was deserted as it seems that people who use weapons and enjoy warfare are too illiterate to read.

Erza sat on one of chairs, reading a book she wasn't so interested in, while her mentor roamed around the section. All he did was pick up a book, flip through a few pages before setting it back down. He did this for every book on every shelf, patiently searching for a specific book. It would have been better if her mentor told her what he as searching for, so maybe she could assist him, but Erza did not know whether it was rude to ask. So she stuck to reading her own book, which title was long forgotten.

She summoned a book that she had been reading the past few days. Even though she would really like to know how the story goes, she wouldn't there read this book in front of her mentor. Reading the back of the book and fiddling its spine was just about the all Erza did with the book.

"If you're bored, you could go back to the guild, Erza. You already showed me the way here." Erza hastily put the book back into her magic space, hoping her mentor did not catch a glimpse of its title. Fortunately, her mentor kept his eyes on a book.

"N-No, it's fine. I was just thinking of how I could be of assistance." It was an indirect way of prodding, and she hoped it served it's purpose.

"It's okay, I found it." This time, he unslotted a book with average thickness and size, the most notable thing about it being it's soft cover and a yellow sticker on its spine, signifying that it was a for-reference-only book. Carrot-head examined the book, flipped every page and read every line as quickly as possible, sitting beside Erza but paying absolutely no heed to her. He was solemn and scowling, his expression like the one he puts on when he is in a fight. She didn't dare take a peak at the book, her conscience wouldn't allow it, but the itch was unbearable.

"_consumes the soul's morality and instincts take a new form..._"

As she was about to read a little more, Carrot-head shut the book and stood up quickly. "Yep, I found the book. Let's go get some lunch and we'll go wherever you want."

The book illuminated into a bright glow and by the time the glow died down, the book was already in her mentor's magic space. "Sensei, this book is library property-"

"This book is important. I can't tell you everything, but I intend to tell you what you need to know over lunch."

Erza knew that this man, her mentor was righteous in every sense of the word, so if he would go so far as to steal a book, the situation he was in must have been grave. Despite being a law-abiding citizen herself, Erza trusted her mentor, allowing the both of them to leave the library without incident.

They entered the small cake shop, a bell signaling their arrival. The pair sat on a table for two, even though none of them were in much of a mood to eat sweet, happy stuff like cake. Except, Erza ate cake in whatever mood she was in, so she actually ordered one while her mentor drank coffee. After finishing the first slice, her stomach had yet to be satisfied and so she ordered another one, using the time in between to politely interrogate her mentor. "What was that book, Sensei?"

He took the book out of his storage space, flipping a few pages before settling on one specific page. Placing it in front of Erza, he pointed to the right page of the book. The heading itself made Erza a little worried.

_Hollowfication_

Erza looked back at her mentor, who only nodded as a gesture for her to continue reading.

_The origin of the spell is unknown, but it was said to be a form of dark magic. It transforms the target into a demon named a Hollow which consumes the soul' morality and instincts take a new form. Hollows can be distinguished from demons by a mask, which is the outstanding part of a Hollow. When a normal human becomes a Hollow, they gain supernatural abilities which are unknown. It is said that when a mage becomes a Hollow, the mage's magic is tremendously increased, however it is not proven._

_There has only been one Hollow spotting._

Erza looked back at her mentor, who was silent and solemn. "What is this for?"

Her mentor closed his eyes, as if pondering whether telling Erza was a good decision. Erza hoped it was 'yes'. After a few seconds, he reopened his eyes, finally speaking. "I got hit by this...spell."

She looked at him, and back at the book, reading the book and its words once again. If her mentor was hit by the spell, why didn't he look like a masked demon, like the book described? "Sensei...this spell turns its target into a demon, but-"

"The demon is within me, Erza. It is a voice in my head, like another part of my soul. It can take over my body and do whatever it wants...whatever my instincts want. This part of me...it has no qualms to kill." Erza was taken back to the time when Erza slaughtered those dark guild members. The blood and corpse...none of them rattled Carrot-head, and yet he was now talking as if murder was foreign to him. Could his demon take away his humanity that much?

"...and I'm telling you this because I need you to be careful. This demon...it grows stronger within me and took over me a few times. When I show signs of changing, I need you to do something important." Her mentor looked down at his cup of coffee, his eyes flashing with uncertainty, something which she thought she would never see from her mentor. "Promise that'd you'll put me down."

"Sensei, I would never-"

"I didn't say kill me, Erza. Just make sure I lose consciousness. I don't know whether it'd work, but I need to stay alive to take revenge on the man that did this to me." His gaze was kept on the dark coffee, and the pools of his eyes were just as black and dark, as boiling hatred was all that was in them. "The dark wizard, Zeref."

Zeref? How could her mentor possibly take on the dark wizard? "Sensei...t-that's suicide!" She tried to keep her voice down, but the thought of her mentor diving into a hopeless battle was making her blood boil. Good thing there was only one other customer.

"Normally, it would be. But the spell gives me a boost in my magic, and with this boost I could fight toe to toe with Zeref. I just need to figure out how to harness that power..." It didn't take a genius to understand the risks of trying to harness the power of a demon.

"But what if the demon takes over your body? Sensei, I suggest you seal the demon or-"

"I've made up my mind, Erza. I know you're worried, so that's why I told you. Pretty stupid of me though, cos' know you'd worry more." Her mentor chuckled lightly, trying to make light of the situation which should be anything but light. "Don't spread this information, Erza. Only you and Makarov knows, and even _he_ did not know this much."

She used to think her mentor didn't trust her, but it never occurred to her that this was his nature. In fact she had no idea she was the most trusted person to her mentor, it made her feel...special. "Why do you trust me this much, Sensei?"

Her mentor tapped her chin several times, thinking of an answer.

He flashed a bright smile. "Because...you're special to me."

_Special? She was special!_ Why it made Erza so happy to know that she was "special" to him, Erza didn't know. But what she did know was that she'd always wanted to be in that spot. In that "special" spot in his heart.

Carrot-head stood up and ruffled Erza's hair like old times, placing the money for his coffee on the table. "I'd get some form of punishment from Mira if I don't get back soon. You don't have to spend all your time with me, I'll always be here. Go have fun on some missions with your guildmates. See ya'."

With that her mentor left the shop, the ringing of the bell signaling his exit. Her cake came and the waitress placed the strawberry cake in front of her. To accompany her cake, Erza summoned the book she didn't dare read in front of her mentor. Finding the page she stopped at, which was one of the last few pages, Erza continued where she left off.

"_Sensei, why are you so dedicated to helping me pass my test? You always stay till evening and it's not fair for you-" Her teacher pushed her against a wall and pinned her tightly._

"_That's because you're special, Ibuki-chan. I want to take our relationship more than teacher and student. Do you want that too...?"_

"_Sensei...I always wanted that. I was afraid that I was too young..."_

"_You're not too young, Ibuki-chan. You're perfect." Her teacher kissed her and she kissed back. Her wish came true, and she was no longer just a little girl to her teacher. It was almost like a dream. And if it was, it was a dream Ibuki would never like to wake up from._

_Her sensei's hand roamed around her body and..._

At this point, Erza shut her book. She would read that part in the comfort of her own home. But that small segment sent all kinds of thoughts to her head. Was it really possible for a teacher and student to become _that_? Was a feeling all it took? Erza didn't know why, but she wondered whether it was really any different. For some reason, Erza wanted to know.

For some reason, Erza wanted to try.


	9. Arc 2: Erza and Her Confessions

A chapter to kill your time. Not too much plot in this one, but it's kinda a build up to the next one. A little slow in updating but I'm rethinking the story over and over again. Plus, I'm preparing to continue with the "Affection Contract", my GrayZa thingy.

Speaking of character (awesome segway there), I thought you might wanna know what characters you'll be seeing often. These are my favourite characters from each series, so I'm gonna include them a little more.

**Fairy Tail**: Mirajane, Erza, Ultear, Laxus, Mystogan (not Jellal. Jellal's lame. Also, never liked JerZa) **Bleach**: Sui Feng, Ichigo, Rukia, Byakuya, Chad/Sado/Big Guy with Badass Arm

Bleach characters will be in flashbacks and so they will only appear in between arcs. Also, there will be one Ichigo POV for each start and end of the arc. Which means two per interjection.

Next chapter up in a few days. Gonna watch some Oreimo now. Peace.

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Disclaimer: Not my character...

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She shouldn't have read that book.

Erza was regretting even purchasing that book. Her dreams had been haunted by orange hair, and the only reason she would accept was the influence of that book. She had come to the conclusion that she was having an abnormal feeling towards her own mentor, and it was killing her.

Her morality would not accept it, but with the evidence pointing in only one direction, Erza could deny no more. She collected more teacher-student romance novels, read them all and listed out the common symptoms. The flush on her face when she looks at him, the tingles when she is in contact with him, and how she was on cloud nine just because her mentor spoke the words "you're special to me"...

But these books that she read, they were called novels for a reason. There was no other material to research on, no one she knew with such an experience. In these books, all it took was a mutual feeling, and her mentor already told her that she was special to him. Does that mean all she had to do was summon the courage to do the same?

Retrieving another book from her bookcase, Erza laid on her bed and read. She imagined herself being in the role of the main character, and how she confronted her teacher. The character was in a constant fluster around her teacher, much like the characters from other stories, and much like herself. It was a good read despite the erotica, and she wondered what she would do once she read all the novels in the world. Erza was never into romance, but at this age, she was prone to submit to curiosity.

The effects of being a seventeen year old teenage girl were kicking in.

Erza heard several knocks on her door and instinctively hid the book under her bed. It didn't occur to her that her mentor would not enter the girl's dormitory, so she opened the door slowly. Taking a little peek outside, she realised that the only person standing outside her door was a pettite girl with short blue hair.

Without any more hesitation, Erza opened up the door fully, feeling stupid for her excessive paranoia. "What brings you here, Levy?"

"I just came to ask whether you'd read finish the books I lent you..." As she spoke, the vertically-challenged girl gazed upon the floor and swayed nervously, as if Erza was some sort of tyrant. She only hit Gray and Natsu, but that didn't make her a terrifying person, did it?

"I-I'm still reading them..." Erza lied. She read them already, she just wanted to read them again. "Do you need them urgently or..."

"No, not at all! I was just making a checklist to make sure I read all of my books. But I should have read everything under the 'romance' section, since it was my favorite genre. So no worries there!" Levy gave a nervous laugh, but Erza was in a serious mood, and she took in all of Levy's back-handed words.

If Levy had read all her romance books, should Levy be considered an expert in romance? Levy may be younger than her by a few years, but Erza had to admit, the girl read so many books that even her magic was about words. In that case, Levy should know the solution to her problems, Erza concluded.

"Could I talk to you for a moment, Levy?" The said girl seem to be taken aback for a quick moment, before hesitating for another second, and finally deciding to accept Erza's invitation for a conversation. _Was she really that scary?_

Levy looked around the room, her eyes trailing over every single article of her room. Erza never invited any one into her room before, and it was odd having someone scrutinize every part of her room, as if the person would find out about some hidden secret. But since Erza might have to tell Levy her biggest of them all, she did not mind much. Erza took an isotonic drink from her miniature refrigerator, placing one bottle each in front of herself and Levy as they sat on the bed.

"So...Levy, you read all your romance novels, so you should have quite a degree of understanding about romance, shouldn't you?"

"I guess but I haven't actually dated...Wait, are you having such troubles, Erza?" Levy immediately covered her mouth, as if her words weren't intended to come out. The words did come out, however, and it hit the bullseye. Erza's face turned a bright red, and her tongue was tied up in all sorts of knots that she couldn't respond. All she did was nod dumbly, hoping Levy wouldn't spread this to anyone. Erza could only pray her issues would be resolved before her reputation as Fiore's toughest female goes down the drain.

"Those books you borrowed...they were teacher-student romance novels. Could it be that you have feelings for your own teacher? Was it the orange-hair guy who came to our guild?" Levy seemed to toss all her fear out of the room and sent a barrage of questions her way. Were girls her age supposed to be interested in this kind of stuff? She leaned in a little too close for comfort, and Erza never felt so pressured before.

"Something like that...What should I do to get rid of this feeling? It is hindering my relationship with my mentor and I was thinking there must be a way to curb this feelings..."

"You shouldn't! I mean...if you really like him, then you should pursue it!"

"Pursue? But..."

"Erza!" Levy called out, her face spread with a jar full of determination. "In this day and age, teacher-student relationships might not be socially acceptable, but there shouldn't be anything to stop you from going after your feelings, as love...love has no boundaries!"

How could someone so timid just moments ago find courage in things such as romance? Was romance really so important that boundaries should be broken? The concept of romance...Erza doubt she'd ever understand. Levy, however, seems to understand perfectly. "So what should I do?"

Levy tapped her chin, deep in thought about. "A date!"

"A date? But in these books..." Erza retreived a book from her shelf and sat back down. "...the characters never actually go on dates. They'd find a private place like the rooftop of an academy or an empty classroom and they'd-"

"I-I get it!" Levy's face flushed into a dark shade of red and her hands raised to stop Erza from going on."I mean...I don't understand that kind of relationship...But if you want that kind of thing, I'm not really sure how to help you. Maybe you should confess in a private place so that-"

"Confess?" Erza blurted out her question. "Like in those books?"

"I guess..." Levy seemed a little apprehensive, but Erza didn't think of it as a big problem. It didn't matter anyways, as by then, Erza has formulated a strategy by fusing all the outstanding aspects from every novel she read. Her only worries were her mentor's reaction, which was either along the lines of "I have these feelings too" or "you're disgutsing". Erza could only pray for the former.

When she arrived at Mira's doorstep, Erza it was already night. Her hand was outstretched, ready to press the doorbell, but she had yet to actually ring it. Her mind went rhough her intended lines and actions again and again, trying to perfect it, but she was so nerved that even her thoughts were incoherent.

It had been five minutes she stood outside Mira's door, and it was about time she actually rang the doorbell.

As her finger pushed against the button, Erza waited silently, heart-pounding louder every second of the wait. When the door swung open, Erza's heart missed a beat, and her heart may have stopped beating when she saw her mentor standing there. Her mentor never intimidated Erza, but the thought of Erza about to spout whatever words she was planning to say caused Erza's thoughts to get caught in a hurricane. "Erza? Is there anything you'd wanna do today?"

"I-Is Mira in?" Erza regained her composure and maintained it the best that she could, hoping her mentor wouldn't find her strange, at least before she actually confesses.

"Mira went on a mission yesterday with her siblings. It's just me in the apartment now. You wanna come in? I fixing up this lacrima vision player." Erza nodded dumbly, but was prancing inside her mind. _Private, deserted area, check._

She entered the room, and apartment from the items she had already expected from Mira's apartment, there was a vision lacrima on the ground with a few other parts. It projects recorded images with that moves, and the one Erza saw in the store was really expensive. Maybe doing missions with a team is a alot more profitable than she thought.

Reverting her attention to her mentor, she saw the two bottles of soda on his hands. "You want one?"

"Yes, please." Sodas were a good sign, as it meant that she was going to stay for a while. She took a soda bottle from her mentor, her hand accidentally making contact with her mentor, which was actualy something she did subconsciously. Her mentor did not seem to have as much of a reaction as she did though, and Erza had the feeling that she was just overthinking a simple contact.

They sat on the loveseat, and it was a little smaller than she would have liked, but on second thought, it was perfect. Her mentor noticed her fidgetting, but didn't see through the reason. "What's wrong, Erza? The armor seems uncomfortable, maybe you should remove it?"

Her mentor said it so off-handedly that Erza was shocked to a point of speechlessness. She wished she could have read her mentor's mind, hoping to find out what kind of thoughts was through her mentor's head as he spoke. Was she over-reacting, or was her mentor trying to get her to remove clothing for lewd purposes? Deciding that voicing her question would spoil the mood, Erza only complied, her face flushed as the chestplate and gauntlet disappeared in a bright glow. All she was left as her top was her white, sleeveless blouse and her undergarment, something Erza was not used to at all.

The lacrima projected a screen and was streaming some sort of swordfighting event held for those without magic. The participants techniques were sub par, and Erza believed that even she could triumph over anyone of them easily. Her mentor wasn't impressed as well, evident from his constant scowling at the screen. The sight of her mentor realigned her focus, and she suddenly remembered what she wanted to do. But first, Erza needed execute the first 'maneuver' adopted from the first few novels she read.

Erza forced a yawn, at the same time trying to stifle it. Her mentor took the bait, turning to look at her, face full of concern. "Are you alright, Erza? If you're tired, I could walk you home-"

"N-No, Sensei. I'd just need something to rest my head on..."

"You can lean on my shoulder if you want. It might be a little uncomfortable, though." As expected, her mentor's actions was spot on with her prediction. Erza fidgeted closer to her mentor, feeling the heat on her cheeks. Cautiously, Erza lowered her head onto Carrot-head's shoulder, and the first few seconds were really awkward. After a while, Erza adjusted herself and her head fit nicely, even though she was already near the nape of his neck. Just by resting her head on his shoulder, Erza could understand what the books were talking about. Warmth...something that only her mentor can give.

"I was wondering...why do you continue to hang around me even though I have nothing to teach you?" His sudden question caught her off guard, but was in fact a trigger in disguise. Erza was someone glad that she could skip all unnecessary 'maneuvers' and get straight to the point.

"Sensei...I see you more than a mentor, y-you know that right?" Her mentor turned to look at her as her head continued to rest on his shoulder. She had the urge to shun, but with restrain, she looked back into her mentor's eyes. A smile spread on his face, and Erza was captivated by those eyes. Something Erza normally overlooked such as eyes...Erza nver thought she could be captivated by something like that, but she was.

"Of course I knew. You glare at Mira every time she gets to friendly, you willingly follow me around and you'd let me break the law. It wasn't that hard to understand." Erza blushed, feeling foolish for being so obvious. "You know, I too think we were long past being just teacher and student."

Unable to help it, Erza's eyes widened, trying to process her mentor's words. Was he beat her to a confession? The books she read...it was always the female student who takes the initiative. Could it be...

"Like I said, you are special to me and I trust you more than anyone. So Erza, if you're willing, would you like to be my..." This was it! Erza's stomach was churning with anticipation, her heart beating at an inhuman rate. All he needed to say was...

..._girlfriend_

"...younger sister?"

The mood shattered into pieces, like a beautiful vase falling from a podium. "Y-Younger sister?"

"I mean, sisters always get jealous when their brothers are around other girls, so I thought you already thought of me as a brother. I've always thought of you as my little sister, watching you grow and all..." That was...not how Erza thought it was going to play out.

"Y-Yes...I thought so too..." was all Erza could say. Utter disappointment became confusion. Of all the books Erza read, never had there been a case where the girl was left disappointed. Amongst the heroines, she was the only failure, and it was embarrassing to say the least. If her mentor could only see Erza as a sister...her chances were practically nil. Erza didn't want to be just a sibling. The feeling that Erza had...it couldn't be satisfied with a sense of family. "Actually, Sensei, I-"

She looked back up to her mentor, but by then, his eyes were already shut and his mouth was left wide open. The swordfighting event must have been really boring, or was it her? Erza looked at her sleeping mentor's face, thinking to herself whether she shouldn't risk spoiling the relationship that she already built up with her mentor. So she placed lips on his, imagine she was kissing him. And no, she was not contented, Erza concluded.

But she would leave her confession for another time. She already stood close to her mentor's heart, and she felt somewhat happy to be by her mentor's side. She leaned back in to her mentor, this time onto his chest than his shoulder, relishing in the closeness between bodies. _Only if he knew_, Erza sighed mentally.

The silence only continued for a minute before frantic knocks on the door broke it. Both Erza and her mentor jumped, the former having to get off the latter embarrassed. Carrot-head stood up and walked to door, and Erza did so too. "That's strange. Mira said she would be back tomorrow afternoon."

Carrot-head unlocked the door, pulling open to reveal a tearful Levy. Levy's sobs were uncontrolled, and she no doubt carried bad news. "E-Erza..." Levy managed to sob out.

Erza stepped outside under the cold, dark sky, pulling Levy into a comforting heart. The petite girl continued to sob, soaking her white blouse. The longer she remained clueless to the situation, the more frustrated Erza got. "Levy, calm down. What happened?"

The tearful girl looked up, her eyes showing nothing but sorrow. It was then Erza knew she was about to receive a blow she never saw coming.

"Lisanna...s-she left us..."


	10. Arc 2: Erza and Her Mistake

Uh...late again. Not much to say other than my words are most likely false. When I say few days, I usually mean two weeks.

The plot has been through a lot of change, but it should be finalized soon. I'm practically writing whatever I think off. Sorry about that. Sometimes it makes sense, most of the time it does not.

Yeah, so Ichigo is a "cherry boy", if you understand he term, and that's it. A/N and skirts should be kept short so...

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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The shock that came wasn't from the news of Lisanna's death, but how her mentor had declined to visit.

Erza made her way to the guild, walking while allowing a tear-riddened Levy to clutch onto her and cry onto her blouse. Her armor would be uncomfortable for Levy, so it would be best to leave it unequipped. The streets were quiet at this time of the day, but the odd feeling from the silence was when they were nearing the guild hall. Day or night, never did Fairy Tail remain quiet. Her mentor should be in there already, comforting Mira and Elfman.

But Carrot-head wasn't. Her mentor, who cared so much more about others than himself, chose not to console the people who gave him shelter.

"_I have to calm down and think,"_ he said.

Before Erza pushed opened the doors, the doors already swung open, and flying through it was Natsu. Someone apparently gave him a blow, but who would be fighting at such a time? The redhead only needed to glance in the guild to find out. The blonde stood there with a nasty grin and an outstretched arm that just delivered a punch. The crowd that had gathered earlier stared at the two of them in worry, knowing that a fight now would be nothing but trouble.

The fire dragon slayer showed no signs of backing down, twisting in mid air to secure a landing, his feet scraping away the stone tiles. Before Natsu could retaliate, Erza raised an arm, blocking and signalling him to stop. "What are you doing at a time like this, Natsu?!"

"That bastard! Laxus said that Lisanna died because...beacuse..." Natsu used an arm to shield his face, a futile attempt to stop the tears. For someone who held Lisanna so close to his heart, it must have been devastating to hear the news. "Lisanna isn't weak!"

Natsu wiped the last tears of his face with the back of his hand, getting ready for another strike, Laxus only grinning to express an invitation. Before Natsu dashed, a hand fell on his shoulder. What struck Erza first was the orange hair, followed by the odd yellow eyes. For as long as Erza could remember, her mentor never had yellow eyes, and her mentor said he wouldn't even come. Had he "calmed down"?

It only took a second for Carrot-head to flicker and deliver a quick blow to Laxus's stomach, a blow with such impact that the sound of it echoed throughout the guild hall. No doubt that anyone, even Laxus would fall to the loss in strength in his legs. Using that advantage, her mentor grabbed Laxus's neck and hammer-threw him into a wall.

The Thunder God Tribe, his trusty lackeys were immediately alerted. Bixlow took out his dolls and Freed Justine drew his sword, but in a blink of an eye, the dolls were nothing but wooden splinters and the blade of Freed's rapier was snapped like a twig. Not a single eye could match that speed. There was only one more member unmobilized, and Evergreen was ready to make herself useful by removing her glasses. Her mentor was, however, more vigilant, flickering behind the women and grabbing her neck, perhaps too tightly such that it constricted her breathing. The grasp did not only immobilize Evergreen, but was obviously also hurting her.

Before the leader could strike again, her mentor tightened his grip on the women's neck, sending a message to Laxus. Her mentor's only emotion was a deepened scowl, Laxus sneering in return. "If I kill this women and your tribe, does that make you all weak?"

As an egoist, Laxus didn't take the comment very well, tightening his fist as if he was about to throw a punch, snarling as hard as he could only to be interrupted by the sound of a door opening. Everyone's attention turned to the guild master's office, and the two people who emerged were a solemn Marakrov and a red-eyed Mira. "What's the commotion about?"

It was only after Marakrov spotted her mentor gripping onto Evergreen's neck did Carrot-head loosen his grip, letting the half-conscious woman fall onto the floor unceremoniously. "I didn't like your grandson's attitude very much."

"It's not very uncommon to hear that, but your unhappiness should be directed towards my grandson alone." It was the first time Erza saw Marakrov mildly angry, the eccentric persona he usually wore bearing no remnants. "Since I have finished interrogating Mira about the incident, you can take her home first while I talk to Elfman. He drank too much anyways and he'll probably be sleeping into the infirmary tonight."

"Understood." Her mentor glanced once more at the defeated group, watching as Laxus' lackeys backed off and scurried back to help up their leader. Laxus however, felt no remorse, ready to continue the fight. Erza could standby no more, immediately summoning up her default armor and a pair of swords, ready to engage in battle on behalf of her mentor. A hand on her shoulder, however, halted her, causing her to relax from her stance. "Erza, we're not fighting anymore. It was irrational of me to fight anyway. I'll just bring Mira home, since it's really late. Would you like to accompany us? Mira is a friend of yours, and at a time like this, I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

The redhead only nodded, wondering when her mentor cared so much for Mira. Erza knew jealousy at this point of time was uncalled for, but it didn't stop the feeling from brewing. Her mentor walked up to the silver-hair beauty who was still wiping her eyes, and Erza knew that the care she received was different, a care that was beyond etiquette and sympathy. The look in her mentor's hazel eyes reflected true heartbreak. "Shall we go, Mira?"

Mira didn't reply, or couldn't reply, instead following Erza and her mentor out of the guild. But before they could leave the place, Laxus gripped Mira's arm tightly. "Who the fuck do you think you are, messing with us like that and expecting to leave?!"

With that trademark "flickering" technique of his, her mentor slapped Laxus' arm away. Gripping the collar of Laxus' coat, her mentor flickered again slammed him against the bar counter, away from everyone else, looking at him with the scariest face that she'd ever seen him make. Without warning, the room received a flux in gravity. Every part of Erza's body felt slightly heavier, and the oxygen became noticeably thinner. Everyone else was feeling the same effects apparently, but it was Laxus, who was standing closest to Carrot-head mentor who was feeling it the most. The once-mighty leader of the Thunder God Tribe was barely having any air, making hoarse noises. _What kind of spell is this?_

Only through deeper analysis did Erza realize that wasn't a spell, but magic itself. So much magic power was released that it changed the whole density of the air in the room and the gravity in the area. And her mentor wasn't even trying, as if all this while, her mentor never needed to exert to create magic, but exert to prevent magic from flowing uncontrollably out of him. Such power is unheard of in one human being, so just what is her mentor?

"I am a man that has more magic power than every guild on Earthland combined. And I've caused the deaths of more people than you have met. So if you dare insult the deceased again..." Her mentor dropped the man onto the floor, and he barely caught his footing. Turning his back to the blonde, he walked towards Mira and Erza. "...I will not hesitate to kill you"

Putting his arm around Mira's shoulders, he guided her out of the guild, with a petrified Erza trailing behind. Erza didn't know what to think. She didn't know whether this was her mentor's sense of justice or a mix of personal emotions. And the source of emotions, might they be from Mira? The other guild members were petrified, not only by the sorry state the supposedly strongest mage in Magnolia, but by the overwhelming display of power from her mentor. To be honest, even Erza was taken aback.

As they walked back, Erza's mind had yet to rearrange its thoughts. Her mentor walked beside Mira, looking around in a protective manner. It was in the middle of the night, and it was awfully quiet, but Magnolia was fairly safe at night, yet her mentor had a look of worry etched on his face. Erza did not want to think of why her mentor was acting in such a manner. Even towards Erza herself, Carrot-head was never protective, instilling a sense of self-dependence into her, and yet to Mira's sorry state, he was a whole different person.

Was it for this period of time or will it last? Erza could only hope that it was the former, wanting her mentor's attention back.

They reached the Strauss household, the vision lacrima player still on the floor. The exact same place, but the atmosphere and emotions miles apart. Mira sat on her couch, her eyes bearing such pain that it made Erza feel terrible inside. Her mentor sat beside Mira, patting Mira comfortingly on the back. As if suddenly remembering she was here, her mentor called out to her. "Erza, could you get Mira some warm water?"

Honestly, Erza had no intention on letting her mentor out of her sight, but her respect for him was too great to ignore any of his orders. Reluctantly and wordlessly, Erza left the living room and entered the kitchen, taking some time to find the water heater and make some warm water. Throughout her time in the kitchen, she listened hard for any sound, which was mostly a few sobs from Mira. There was no talking or wailing.

Erza was worried, so she hurriedly took the cup and walked out of the kitchen, her eyes widening at the scene.

They were hugging.

It wasn't an intense hug, but they were embracing, Mira's face buried in the nape of Carrot-head's neck. Mira's arms were around her mentor's chest, muffled sobs escaping from Mira. The redhead could bear no more jealousy. Her meter was at its capacity, her heart already starting to hurt. It took a lot of effort just to remember to hold on to the cup.

Before Erza could compose herself, she put the cup on a random table, trying her best not to let her tears out while running out the back door and going around the house back to the open field behind Mira's house. As she brought her face to her knees in a crying position, she let it out. Her pent-up tears of frustration, disappointment and despair, and yet the pain was growing.

She hated Mira for being beautiful, attractive and great with people. She hated her mentor for making her fall in love with him unintentionally. And above everything else, she hated her lack of courage, her unattractiveness, her stupidity and belief in those stupid books.

The back door opened, Erza notified by the creak of the door. Emerging from it was her mentor, looking somewhat depressed. Mustering all her remaining energy, Erza put on a strong front, but she couldn't hide her bloodshot eyes. "Erza, why are you-"

"I was mourning for...uh... Lisanna..." It didn't sound very convincing, but her mentor seemed to have accepted it.

"Do you want to go back to your dorm first? Mira's feeling down and-"

"I-I understand, I'll get going now." Without a second moment, Erza walked past her mentor, racing towards the front foor, not even bothering to look back. She was going to leave all her feelings behind, built up stronger walls around herself, and focus on her goal.

No more _sensei, _just herself and Fairy Tail and the world.

As she entered her dorm room after walking, the first thing that Erza did was flop on her bed. She unequipped everything, leaving her bare self to bask in the thin moonlight through the blinds. _Sensei might like her like this_, she thought, but instantly shook her head. Shaking her head, however, did nothing to dispel her thoughts, and she imagined a surreal image of her mentor. He stood over her, slowly crawling onto her bed and onto her.

Erza looked at the smile on the illusion's face, and smiled in return. She tilted her head back, letting a touch starting from her touch roam her body.

_Oh, no._ Erza thought.


	11. Death God's Log 2: Secrecy

Hey guys, Ichigo's a quincy. Whoa.

Also, sorry for slow updates. Decided to leave it hanging at Erza's condition. Also, story follows a timeline, so...yeah. Death God' Log (DGL) is for educational/filling purposes only. I mean..not like "I'm gonna help you with Pythagoras Theorem" kind of "educational", but "I'm gonna help you understand the story" kind of "educational".

That's it, short and simple A/N. Next chapter, flashbacks and more Mira.

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Disclaimer: Not my characters...

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A thousand magic circles surrounded him, glowing brightly to sting his eyes. It didn't hurt as much as he thought, but it made him feel weak, as if he had loss of blood, but it was a very minor lost of strength. The light died down, showing him the laboratory covered by the glow from the magic circles. There stood the pink-haired woman, in her hand a book probably the same age as her. "Porlyusica, do you have enough data now? I'm getting tired-"

"Quiet, human! If you want my help, stay quiet!" Porlyusica gave an annoyed look, and Ichigo returned one. The woman flipped several pages, looking extremely unhappy with the book. Without a word, she threw the book Ichigo had illegally retrieved from the library as if it was a piece of trash over her shoulder, and Ichigo couldn't help but scowl at the woman. "Hey!"

"This book is useless. Not only do I already know half of it, some of the information is utter rubbish. It is written based on face-value theories." As disappointed as he was, Ichigo took her words, cutting the woman some slack. As rude and short-tempered Porlyusica was, she was helping him without anything in return, in spite of passionate disgust towards humans. The least he could do was not to set of that short temper of hers. Ichigo thought it was weird how Porlyusica hated human beings when she appeared to be one. _Maybe she's a dragon in a human body, heh._

"I have to go. I'll come back occasionally to do the tests you require. Sheesh, this is taking longer than I thought..." Ichigo stood up from his chair, only to receive an irritated look from Porlyusica.

"If you're leaving, then hurry up and scram, foolish human!" Porlyusica took out a broom from nowhere, ready to beat him with it. Not willing to be beaten by a grumpy old woman, Ichigo dashed straight out of the door, shutting it behind him. Taking only a second to sigh, he put on his cloak and walked away from the building.

As he finally exited the dense forest where Porlyusica's estate was hidden in, he continued to walk north, spotting a lone tree on top of a cliff. He took out the parchment, hoping he got the coordinates right.

"This should be it," he muttered to nobody but himself. He stepped to the tree and touched it. A flash of light was all he saw before he found himself in a different location. There were plenty of wooden objects and candles, and the room wasn't very big, taking the appearance of a shack.

Under the candlelight, he saw a shift in the shadows, and turned around to see the person he was supposed to meet, but he wouldn't say he was glad to see that person. "Nice to see you again, Kuro-kun."

"Just cut to the chase, Ultear." Ichigo needed to glance a little lower to take notice of the pink-haired girl standing beside Ultear. "And who is this you brought with you?"

Ultear patted the girl on the head, and the girl stepped forward to 'show' herself to Ichigo. "She's my surrogate daughter, Meredy. Isn't she adorable?"

The petite girl blushed at the comment, but Ichigo didn't take heed, not willing to play games with this dangerous woman or her slightly-suspicious daughter. "Why is she here?"

Ultear gave him a grin of mischief, but Ichigo honestly had no idea what to expect from this woman. She had covered his location and activities from the council for him, only requesting help with some matters after two years. He had no idea what was going on in that woman's head, and he doubt he ever would. "She's learning some magic right now, and I assure you, she is quite skilled. Together, you shall form a team of three."

"Team of three?" The word couldn't help but come out of his mouth like an echo.

"I told you you'll have to pay your debt someday, didn't I? Don't worry, Kuro-kun, I won't ask you to do something you wouldn't want to." Ultear glanced towards the shadows, and it was only then did Ichigo notice there was another figure standing there. "...and as for your third member..."

The figure walked out of the shadows, only to reveal a man fully-covered in veils and cloaks, his back holstered with staffs. "M-Mystogan?"

"Let's just say I know the secret behind the mask." Ultear gave him a grin that matches that of a chesire cat, and Ichigo made a mental note to never underestimate this woman for the hundredth time. Poor Mystogan was a victim to Ultear's information gathering. "I'll be your coordinator, while you, Meredy and Mystogan will be my covert team. Meredy, like you and Mystogan, are not people in the Earthland citizenry database, so it'd be the perfect team, don't you think?"

Ichigo gave Ultear a look of utmost displeasure, but no reaction was observed from the woman, instead she received the heated stare as if it was nothing daunting. After giving up on his attempt to intimidate Ultear -he should have known better- Ichigo continued to ask more questions. "Why not send me alone?"

"Because I wouldn't want a repeat of what happened at the council hall, wouldn't I? Your treatment from Fairy Tail's physician didn't seem to have any progress." Ultear smiled as if it was supposed to be humorous, but Ichigo couldn't find the humor in it. "Now, since Ichigo has finished with his questions, shall we get to the mission brief?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I won't assassinate people just because you ordered me to." The last thing Ichigo could do was save some of his pride.

"This man is trying to revive a demon, don't you think he deserves to be executed?" Ultear's cool demeanour was broken for a second, and Ichigo knew this was highly personal as well.

"Who is this man?"

Ultear stared into her orb, and an image of a man appeared. That man had white upright hair, and his slanted eyes did make him look shady. As Ichigo glanced up, he saw the intense hatred that reflected in Ultear's eyes.

"One of the people that took my mother away from me. Lyon Vastia."

-3-

Standing at border between shore and forest, Ichigo and his 'teammates' scouting the area. Ultear's daughter seem to look very nervous, constantly staring at the ground. Occasionally, she would tug on his cloak, looking at him with those questioning eyes.

"Death God-san, is it true you killed over millions of people?" "No."

"Death God-san, is it true that you can kill mages just by looking at them in the eye?" "No."

It had been a few hours ever since they had been surveying the area, but unlike what they were told by Ultear, Lyon Vastia and his fellow accomplices had yet to flee from the island they were on. Garuna Island was not particularly big, but it's crescent shape made it hard to view the whole island properly. Lyon Vastia and his team or other intruders could have snuck from the back while they were surveying the front. "Mystogan, you should cover the back, I'll cover the front with Meredy."

Mystogan only nodded before walking off ever so calmly, leaving him and this weird little girl to stroll along the shore at the front. It was a quiet stroll, because the girl was too preoccupied with staring at the sand and Ichigo didn't feel like talking. It was only when Ichigo heard a fluttering sound did the silence break, and the both of them looked towards the source of the sound to see something out of the ordinary, a giant flying mouse...in a maid costume. "Is that their transport?"

"Should we chase it, Death God-san?"

"How are we supposed to do that? None of us can fly." Meredy took a moment to ponder before replying with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, Death God-san. I-I don't have a plan." Ichigo looked down at the girl as she was on the verge of tears. Why Meredy was on the verge of tears, he didn't know, but he knew he wouldn't want to deal with it. Erza never cried when she was younger, so he had no experience whatsoever. Slowly, he patted Meredy's head in an awkward manner, causing the girl to look at him in confusion. "Uh, nevermind. You did well."

The girl's face brightened into a smile, and Ichigo tried his best not to smile back. His goal was to stop Meredy from crying, not make her happy. All of a sudden, the giant rat flying overhead them exploded, alerting both of them. "Crap! What happened?"

His answer came in the form of a glowing orb. Ichigo took out the communication orb from his cloak's inner pocket, reading the words displayed.

_Placed a bomb on the rat while disguised. Enjoy the fireworks._

Ichigo glanced at the sky as he watched the bright glow of the explosion dying down into nothing. Letting out a sigh, wondering what the women was thinking. Stealing the power of a demon is never an easy thing, and he happened to know by experience. What was the point of getting involved with Lyon Vastia in the first place? "It's seems like your mother has completed her mission. I guess all we did was surveillance. Good job, Meredy."

Meredy brightened her face once again, and this time Ichigo couldn't help but smile. That face resembled a certain red-haired girl he used to train. It has been somewhat upsetting that he didn't see Erza for the last two years, but between consoling Mira and work, there was absolutely no time to visit Erza. It didn't help that Erza almost seemed angry at him the night Lisanna passed away. The complexity of a teenage girl's mind was something he'd never understand.

His mind drifted even further, back to when he was the First Division Captain of the Rune Kinghts millenniums ago. There was a strange, vertically-challeneged teenage girl that he called "nakama" with a rather complex mind back then too, but he hung out with her still. He guess he shouldn't have teased the midget too much when they were all alive. "I hope you never grow up, Meredy."

The girl looked at him oddly, but smiled with such innocence that didn't reflect her mother's. "I'll try my best, Death God-san!"

As they were set to continue strolling along the beach, they met a group, halting them in their tracks. The group was a little too familiar, and for the first time in a long time, Ichigo panicked.

A team from Fairy Tail was here. And that team had Erza in it. "Halt! Are you two involved in the explosion?"

As a reaction, Ichgo pulled his hood a little lower, hoping to cover the bright orange from his hair. The group was obviously hostile, immediately changing into battle poses. Before Ichigo gave himself away by attempting to speak, he caught his tongue. A million thought processes were running in his mind, and if he doesn't stop compose himself soon, he might just blow his cover. All of a sudden, Meredy's voice stopped his train of thought. "Death God-san, do I have permission to murder one of them?"

"Death God? I heard of him! He's a SS-Class criminal!" The unidentified blonde member of the group shrieked, taking a golden key out of her pouch. _Celestial Mage...doesn't seem that strong._

"...and I heard he rapes women before and after killing them! I can't believe he got to that little girl too!" _Where the hell do people hear this rumors from?_

"Great! I'm getting all fired up just thinking about fighting this "Karo,The Death God" guy!"

"He's Kura, Death God, you dumbass!"

"How about I show you who's the dumbass, huh?" As the two idiots from Fairy Tail got into a brawl with each other, Ichigo looked at Meredy with a let's-get-out-of-here look, but Meredy didn't seem to want to back down.

"Death God-san, I feel compelled to kill the man standing at the top of my hit list. My conscience won't allow me to do otherwise." The girl that was once filled with smiles was no gone, and that innocence replaced with bloodlust and hatred. Ichigo didn't know why or who Meredy was talking about, but taking someone's live shouldn't be an experience a twelve year-old girl has to go through.

"Meredy, I'll handle this." Ichigo said in a voice deeper then his original. The group of four (exclusive of the cat) turned their attention back to him, once again identifying him as a threat.

"Are you sure-" "-go back to the coordinator...now."

Meredy gave one last parting glance before fleeing into the woods, and luckily, none of them chased. Now that he gotten rid of the possibility of ruining Meredy's childhood, he was starting to worry about the possibility of revealing his own identity. He needed to immobilize the team without hurting anyone...too badly. Zangetsu and other normal weaponry would inflict overly-heavy injuries. _Think, Ichigo. Think!_

And then it hit him. He searched the depths of his magic space, before finding the one sword he had in mind. He just prayed that the Tenth Division Captain wouldn't mind. _Sit Upon The Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru!_

A glowing sword appeared, with its hilt just by his palm. Ichigo grabbed it, noting how light it is compared to the big cleaver he carried around. The team from Fairy Tail looked at him and his freshly-summoned sword, and it was more notably Erza who stared at his sword the most. He was glad he didn't reveal all his secrets to Erza, thanking his secretive nature for once. "I will be your opponent."

Natsu Dragneel dashed towards him excitedly, his hands already bursting into flames. Not once did Ichigo use this sword before, but he had a rough idea how to use it.

The swords that every Rune Knight officer from the past possessed are vessels of magic, used to amplify and yet control magic. All one needed to do was pump magic like one would with a lacrima, the only difference was that the magic required is a billion times more.

Letting his magic flow into the sword named Hyorinmaru, he witnessed as the weather became significantly colder, and for the first time, he felt almost strengthened by the drop in temperature, as if the cold was his natural battleground. He swung the sword, and from the tip of the blade came a oriental dragon made from ice. The ice dragon knocked Natsu away. As Natsu was being flung into the air, the ice dragon flew higher, ramming downwards into Natsu. The ice shattered, and the bits were momentarily turned into vapor before solidifying and pinning Natsu onto the ground.

Ichigo's eyes drifted to the other reckless person in the team, Gray Fullbuster, but to his surprise, the raven-haired boy was rooted to his spot. His team members seem to expect him to attack as well, as shown by how surprised both Erza and the unnamed blonde girl. "Gray, what's wrong?"

"His sword...it isn't just Ice Magic like Lyon and mine. He can control the atmosphere, so I can't use my Ice Magic. He can just turn it into water with that magic." It seems that despite the recklessness of the ice mage, he was still a fighter, and a good one too. The blonde noticed that only she and Erza can fight, but Ichigo noticed earlier. When the celestial mage wasn't looking, Ichigo had already frozen the blonde's key pouch with a splinter of ice from his first ice dragon.

"My pouch...Erza, maybe we should-" "I'll handle this alone. Stay back."

Somehow, Ichigo already predicted this would happen. The problem isn't about defeating or defending from Erza due to his skill level and familiarity to Erza's swordsmanship, but rather how to immobilize Erza. One thing Erza possessed was her resilience, which even though Natsu Dragneel possess as well, Erza's resilience was backed up by her intelligence and wit. Any situation Erza enters, she finds a way out with the array of weapons and armors she had. And knowing that a moment in sight of Erza is an increase in chance of being exposed, hence ending the situation quickly would be top priority.

Erza burst into a glow, reappearing in Black Wing Armor. If Erza knew who he really was, she would know that speed was his strong suit all along. Deciding to counter properly, Ichigo stood in an evasive stance, watching carefully, looking out for any movement from Erza. As expected, Erza dashed forwards and went for a horizontal swing, and all Ichigo had to do was dodge backwards. He returned with the summoning of another ice dragon, but his unfamiliarity with this weapon and Erza's speed made him miss. With a lunge, Erza tried to stab him, however, it was avoided by backstepping.

A short little stare down ensued, but Ichigo didn't participate. Erza was in midst of launching an attack before she stopped, staring at the chest of his cloak. Ichigo reached for his cloak and took out the glowing communication lacrima, taking a moment to read the words.

_Kuro-kun~you're late._

With a sigh, Ichigo suddenly realised that he didn't have to fight Erza anymore. He stored his sword back into his magic space, freeing Natsu Dragneel and the blonde's key pouch. "I'm...uh...leaving. Bye, Erza...I mean, we'll meet again, Erza Scarlet."

He only snuck a glance at Erza and her teammates perplexed expression's before spinning on his heels. With a flashstep, he took of jumping from tree to tree, losing sight of the group in a matter of milliseconds. He stopped at a hidden cave, pushing aside the leaves and vines to enter the cave. Mystogan, Meredy and Ultear were already there, and the two females were happily sitting by the campfire. "Good job, Kuro-kun. I didn't expect you to fight your own student. I must say, I wonder what that ice sword you were wielding was about."

"Continue wondering. You know too much anyway." Ichigo sighed again, noting what a day it was. Being called out by Ultear, fighting Erza and her team, and by the time he returns, Mira is bound to scold him for how late he was. Even with all this magic power, there were plenty of things he couldn't manage and many things that worry him as well. "I don't think you'll ever find out, anyways."

"Oh, I have my ways..." Ichigo didn't doubt that. "...and regarding that flickering technique of yours, too."

_Flickering...even Erza couldn't figure it out..._Then it struck him.

He flickered in front of Erza while trying to take off. _Sigh. Crap._

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Thanks to Maverick14th for suggesting Mystogan and Anonymous for reminding me to keep Ichigo's ability varied. Chose Hyorinmaru as first feature cos' it's awesome. Prefer Byakuaya's one though. Excessive wiki'ing was involved.


	12. Death God's Log 3: Loss

Hey, what do you think constitute as a harem? Give me some PMs on what I should and should not do, because I have a feeling that this might stray to a harem and I don't wanna have that happening in my stories.

Yeah, so next chapter is the start of Arc 3, the Phantom Lord period. Some interesting story developments planned.

Enjoy. Give it a 'favourite' if you did.

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Like somewhat of a cat, Ichigo leapt up to the window. It was pitch dark in there, and almost no sound could be heard in there. Trying to get the window to creak as inaudibly as possible, Ichigo pulled up the window, sliding his body through the small opening created. As the last of his body entered the room, he let out a sigh of relief. However, the relief left almost as quickly as it came. The light flickered on, and standing by the door was his landlord, her hands on her hips, looking not too happy.

"M-Mira...it's late. Why are you up so late?" Ichigo tried to cover his anxiety with a smile, but the smile came out way too nervous to be believable.

"Kuro-san...you missed dinner. You said you were having dinner with us tonight..." Mira said with a pleasant smile, but the aura she was exuding behind the smile was nothing pleasant. Immediately, Ichigo bowed down to Mira, in an attempt to convince Mira to let him off this time.

"I'm sorry, Mira! Please forgive me!" He waited a few seconds before feeling a pat on his head, and he looked up to see a frown on Mira's face.

"You know, I don't actually want to scold you. I'm just really worried about you." A pang of guilt hit Ichigo, as he felt an ache hit him, similar to when he left Erza years ago. Mira outstretched her hand, handing him a towel. "Here, take a bath while I heat up the dishes."

Re-straightening his back, Ichigo looked as Mira walked back out of the room.

"Mira..." Said girl turned to look at him, and the words came to him naturally. "Thank you."

Mira smiled one last time before walking away, leaving him to sulk in his own room. He glanced around the room, noticing the cleanliness of the area. No doubt Mira had cleaned the area up when he left. Even though Mira told him that she was keeping her own apartment clean, Ichigo knew this wasn't the case. Mira had provided him with food and shelter, yet she wouldn't accept any payment. Despite Mira's attempt to try and make him comfortable with this arrangement, Ichigo couldn't get comfortable.

It had been two years since the death of Lisanna, but two years is barely enough time to heal the wounds of losing someone important. Ichigo didn't see his father and sisters die, but he saw his friends and comrades fall in battle, and the wounds are still hurting even after a millennium. He summoned a grey-scale picture, looking at it with regretful eyes. Gently, he glided his fingers over the people's faces, losing himself in thought.

"_Ichigo...Ichigo!"_

_The teenage boy scowled at the sound of his name coming from his own living room, where he invited some friends over. He had excused himself to his own room to complete some paperwork, but it seemed that his guest did not understand how important it is that he handed this up. If the speaker weren't one of his best friends, he might just beat the person for beating's sake. "What is it, Orihime?"_

_He pushed open the door, and in an instant, pop sounds could be heard and nothing could be seen as confetti distastefully covered his face. He brushed aside the confetti from his face, looking at the group of people that had gathered. Orihime, the oranged-haired eccentric girl, seemed to be the only one to be enthusiastic about it. Chad just looked somewhat glad to be present, and Ishida just wanted to pop confetti in his face. "Surprise!"_

_Ichigo gave them an irritated look. "You brought a cake box to my house and asked me to wait in my room...It really wasn't that hard to figure out."_

_Orihime puffed her cheek, trying to appear angry but failing miserably. "We did this especially for your promotion to the Captain of the First Division, at least try to look happy!"_

_His attention was directed to Ishida, who gave him a side glance as he spoke. "Forget about him, Orihime. We might as well just eat the cake ourselves."_

_Ichigo, looked at the lean man, scowling at him heavily that some might feel an ominous aura. Ishida stared back as well, increasing the tension. After a half-minute stare down, Orihime decided to break the tension. "Ah, that reminds me! I invited some members from the Gotei 13, since they will be working under you. I wonder why they aren't here yet..."_

_It was true that these people will be his responsibility afterwards, and the thought of it psyched him out a little. It didn't help that the old man and his lieutenant left together, leaving him without a lieutenant. There was also the matter of trust, as he was sure to face skepticism since he was directly ascended to that position. Just as Ichigo was wondering how Orihime knew the people he was friendly with at work, the doorbell rang._

"_Coming..." He shouted to the door in a worn out tone, taking his time to walk to his front door. He opened the door to see the people Orihime invited. He shut the door again, turning to look at the somewhat air-headed girl. "Orihime...you do know that my apartment is supposed to be a bachelor's pad, right?"_

_Orihime nodded, and Ichigo sighed before reopening the door in front of Orihime's face. "Then why the hell did you invite every captain and lieutenant?!"_

_While scratching her head, Orihime gave the question some thought, even though the answer wasn't very satisfying. Pointing her index finger in the air, Orihime exclaimed. "Because the more the merrier!"_

_It puzzled Ichigo to no end on how Orihime made her conclusion. She invited Mayuri, who constantly wants to conduct life-threatening experiments on him, Kenpachi, who wants to have a fight to the death with him at every moment of his life, and even Byakyuya, who...does whatever a Byakyuya does. Ichigo walked back to the door, looking at his subordinates. "We are not serving free drinks, providing ourselves as test subjects for research or engaging in fights. Sorry to disappoint you, but please leave."_

_Amongst the crowd, it seems that only Captain Unohana left quietly with her lieutenant, as well as Byakyuya (and Ichigo was really glad he did). Rangiku and Shunsui were complaning about false information of free alcohol, and Kenpachi looked ready to fight regardless of whatever Ichigo just said. After some commotion, the crowd eventually left, all except two people, a midget and a man with a red pineapple for hair. They looked at him, as if expecting something from him. They probably were. "Hey, Rukia, Renji. It's pretty cold outside tonight, get in."_

_Renji gave him a smug smile, as if he knew that Ichigo would give in, making Ichigo regret his decison to let the pineapple head in immediately. As for Rukia, she stood at the door, looking at him with a worry-filled face. "Ichigo...can we talk for a second?"_

_Feeling the awkwardness that made the air stiff, Ichigo decided to comply. It was weird, being this serious with Rukia. After hours, Ichigo always hung out with Chad, Orihime and Ishida, but at the Gotei 13, he's pretty much always checking on Renji and Rukia, or more like making trouble with them, but nothing was ever serious. He stepped outside, and the cold hit him, sending chills down his spine. Or maybe it was just Rukia's expression._

_She showed him her back for a while before actually facing him. "There's some talk about you at the barracks. They say that-"_

"_I know. I'm just some guy who's too powerful for his own good. I still don't get why the old man picked me either..." Rukia stared at him a little more, her face contorted into an upset expression. "It doesn't matter to me, anyways. I'm just doing my job."_

"_Can't you be a little more concern? It's a heavy responsibility and-"_

"_Yeah, yeah. I got it'll be fine-"_

"_Fine? You're under such criticism even though you've done so much. Don't you think it's something worth standing up for? Where's your backbone?!"_

_Ichigo was a little taken aback by the outburst Rukia just had. It wasn't as if Rukia didn't regularly have outbursts, but this one was a little desperate then usual. "Geez...I'm the one under criticism, not you. Besides, I think you'd know that I won't let such a thing get to me. What's with you, anyways? That time of the month again?"_

"_I wouldn't have to flare up if you didn't do such infuriating things!" Rukia shouted before folding her arms and looking away. Upon scrutiny, he noticed Rukia whispering to the wind with a rose tint on her cheeks. "...like make me worry about your stupid ass..."_

_For a moment or two, Ichigo didn't know what to say or feel. His mind decided it was best to break the tension, and so he did. "Huh? I didn't get that last part."_

"_I said you're an stuck-up captain for not standing up for yourself." Rukia grinned at her string of insults compressed into a sentence, and Ichigo knew that the tension pretty much disappeared._

"_Well, I think you're a vertically-challenged unseated officer who likes minding other people's business." He returned Rukia one of those triumphant looks._

"_Idiot."_

"_Midget."_

_Rukia gave him one more annoyed glance, and he knew he won this battle with weapons in the form of words, and the height insults are always the most lethal. As Rukia walked past him and back to his house, Ichigo turned, looking at her back view. Without thinking, he called out. "Rukia."_

_She turned to look at him, and he knew what he wanted to say. 'Thank you'. But he didn't let the words come out of his mouth. "Don't stuff yourself with too much cake."_

_Rukia gave him his a last crossed look, before stepping into the house. Shutting the door behind her, he realized that he was not in his own celebration. To Ichigo, his promotion meant nothing special, because nothing had changed. His friends were still there, and they aren't going to treat him any different. But it wasn't a bad thing, because he liked the status quo. 'I wonder how long this is gonna last.'_

_Finally having enough of the cold, Ichigo made his way back to the door. From the outside, he could hear the commotion. Giving himself a grin, he twisted the door knob, blinding himself with the sudden light._

"_Ichigo..."_

"Ichigo!"

He jerked out of his sleep, finding Mira sitting on the side of his bed, looking worry-stricken at him. A crushing feeling fell upon him when he realized that he was merely dreaming, meaning that he had yet to get over his past. Mira place a hand on his shoulder, and he looked back at her. "Kuro-san, are you alright? Were you crying?"

Ichigo touched his cheeks with his fingers, and indeed there was moisture. It was the first time he had actually cried in his sleep, but it had been a long time since he reminisce about his friends. That goes to show that he had yet to get over their loss, he concluded. Out of the blue, he decided to ask Mira. "Mira. how do you...cope with loss?"

Only when the words came out of his mouth did Ichigo realize that he had been rude, but Mira didn't seem to feel upset at the mention of Lisanna. Instead, he received a sweet smile from Mira, telling him that she was not at all troubled by the question, and that she was the perfect person to ask.

"I don't have a clue."

Ichigo was a little dumbstruck, and Mira took the chance to envelop him in embrace. "You look like someone who lost a lot. You are a very strong person, but you're looking at loss in the wrong way. To me, even though Lisanna may have meant a lot, I have to constantly remind myself that there is always someone to protect. Fairy Tail, my brother and even you...those are my reasons to stay happy."

Letting himself melt in Mira's arms and let her words sink in...he felt lighter. He now understood what the loss of his friends are. They are his driving force, a reminder to not let the people he care meet the same fate. There always is and always will be a reason to fight. "Thanks, Mira. You're kinda like the big sister I never had."

"Big sister? Am I that old?" Mira released him and stood up, giving him one of those warm-hearted smiles she recently started to give out. "I'm always there for you, Ichigo. To me, you're more than just a little brother."

"Is there higher level of care than that?"

"Yes, there is. Just ask Erza." Mira smiled before grabbing onto his hand and pulling him up. "Since I already warmed up the food, I suggest you eat before bathing. Come on!"

She pulled him up, and he got up and out of his bed. Just as he was about to walk out of the room, he noticed that his photograph was still on the bed. A picture of them partying like drunken fools on the night of his celebration. It was something he always kept with him possesively, but for the first time, he didn't feel compelled to store it with him.

"I'll just take new ones." Ichigo switched of the lights before leaving. _Erza, Mira and the rest of Fairy Tail...there's actually plenty to protect._

And that's what he swore to do_._


	13. Arc 3: A Reunion and A Farewell

It's been a while, dear reader. I shall make an unofficial announcement that you shall wait no longer. This story is unofficially **back and running**.

Sorry it took so long, but I was really into Naruto and I was focusing way too much on my little thingy. When I had writer's block on that story, I sat down and tried writing for this one instead, hence, chapter pops out.

On a side note, 200 favs! We did it, guys! Thanks! Now I am in the elite secret society for people who have a story with 200+ favs...Oh, I'm not supposed to talk about that...Please ignore that...

To celebrate, I'm gonna give you guys the moment you have been waiting for. For the first time in this story, Erza is happy!_  
_

Enjoy, amigos!

* * *

Disclaimer: Not my characters...

* * *

_Erza sat on her bed reading yet another novel, feeling lighter than usual. She didn't really understand what she was reading about, but she was reading anyways. It was calm and serene, to the point where Erza became suspicious. But she didn't ponder about it, as up until now, everything seemed natural._

_A tap on her window broke her thoughts, and she put down the book to see the source of the noise. As she approached the window, she saw a familiar tuff of orange hair, her face instantly brightening up. She lifted the window, and with a quick movement, her mentor jumped up and climbed right into her dorm. He seemed extremely hyped, as if glad about something, and Erza hoped that it was reaction from seeing her._

"_Sensei, what are you-" She didn't finish her words, as her mentor cut her off by latching his lips to hers. Suddenly, speaking didn't seem as important, and Erza allowed her body to take course. She fell back onto her bed, and they locked lips ever so feverishly. They broke apart for air, and it was Erza who had more difficulty breathing._

"_Erza, I didn't actually mean it when I said I saw you as a sister. I know this is wrong, but...I can't believe I resisted you for so long..." The redhead could only nod dumbly as they latched lips again, continuing their tongue war._

_Feeling his hand slithering across her figure, it made her skin tingle at a touch. The touch moved lower into a dangerous spot, and Erza could feel a growing sensation in between her thighs. "Sensei...not there..."_

_Despite Erza' words, she knew her mentor would not listen and neither did she want him to. His hand merely skimmed across the surface of her skin, and yet Erza jerked at the touch. Her mentor smiled at the reaction, and Erza looked away and blushed, a tint of red staining her cheeks._

...before he disappeared into nothing but streams of air. Erza was bewildered at first, looking around for any signs of her mentor, but looked down only to see her hands in her undergarments, moisture and stickiness between her thighs.

Erza was fooling herself again.

To do such a thing...Erza was disgusted by herself. There was a line between love and lust, and Erza knew she crossed it. It may have been her immense jealousy or longing for her mentor but it was wrong either way.

Erza re-equipped into a fresh pair of undergarments and clothes, heading to the bathroom. Fortunately for her, no one was up in the wee hours of the morning, making her movements almost unknown. When she stepped in front of the sink, Erza started by rubbing her hands in an attempt to get rid off the smell, an evidence of her act. To remove the last of the evidence, the flush on her cheeks, she cupped the cold water from the tap and splashed it harshly on her face.

Erza looked back up at the mirror, staring at the foreign person in it. That person was her and yet it wasn't. This girl bore a grin that Erza could only describe as menacing, and a menacing grin was something Erza could never pull off. She wouldn't even call it a 'her', as this thing had bleached white skin and hair and a grin that was so nasty it made Erza cringe involuntarily.

But ever since Erza met this thing two years ago, she knew that this was, in fact, her. The Erza Scarlet without restrain. "Liked that dream I gave you?"

"Go away." Erza made sure to whisper her words such that her teammates would not awake. That thing laughed at the words and infuriated Erza further, as she knew her words had no impact or authority on it.

"Oh, look at you. Trying to act all _high and righteous_!" That thing spoke in a mocking tone, and Erza did not enjoy the feeling of being mocked at, especially not by her demon spawn. "I wonder what your friends will think of you for lusting for your mentor. Better still, I wonder what would happen if your mentor found out!"

"You're disgusting..."

"...and filthy..."

"...nauseating..."

Her fists started to tremble, and before long, Erza couldn't take the insults. She threw her right fist at the mirror, creating a webbed crack. Despite the tarnished mirror, that thing remained there, smiling at her nastier than ever. "You can't get rid of me by punching a mirror. You _need_ me. One day, you'll be begging me for help, and we'll see who's the Queen of that body."

"I won't let that happen, I swear."

"I wouldn't count on it. Someone's coming, better get your act back up." The image gave her a mocking grin once more, and Erza looked towards the door timely as Lucy appeared in view.

"Erza, are you okay? I heard a loud crash and-"

"Everything's fine. It's...nothing." Once again, Erza cupped the cold water on her face and splashed it on her face, hoping regain some composure. "You didn't have to get up."

"It's fine, it was a knock on the door that woke me up. There was someone at the door looking for you. He says that it's been a long time since you met him and-" Erza didn't bother listening to the rest of the sentence. Bolting out of the bathroom, Erza made her way to the main door of the inn room. As she swung open the door, the only thing Erza needed to see was that orange hair.

The moment she saw orange hair and a smile, Erza could feel a deep pitfall in her stomach. When Carrot-head step forward to give her a hug, Erza hugged him back. It wasn't an illusion or a delusion, it was her mentor in the flesh. Then Erza remembered all the things she did while thinking of him.

Quickly, Erza removed herself from her mentor's arms, blushing madly just by remembering the feeling of arms around her. Carrot-head was somewhat upset at this action, and Erza decided to actually talk to dispel any suspicions her mentor had, if he had any. "Sensei, w-what are you d-doing here this hour?"

"I...I realized that I've been neglecting you a lot lately. Mira said that you seem unhappy this two years when I was away. I just wanted to tell you that it wasn't that I gave my attention to someone else. I've been out of the city for my...business a lot, but it should be done for now. I just thought maybe I'd surprise you? Mira said it would make you happy but you don't look too happy..."

There was no doubt that Erza was happy, but along with that joy came anxiety. "I was just...surprised."

Erza received a strange look from her mentor. "Is there anything you want to talk about, Erza? I rented the room just opposite of yours, so we could talk if you want to..."

An invitation to his room? Erza knew she was overreacting, but it made her thoughts run wild nonetheless. After calming down, Erza was about to accept his invitation to...talk, until she noticed her apparel. She was still in the night gown she wore to sleep, and it was not covering very much of her. "I-I should get changed before going over, Sensei."

Before her mentor could reply, Erza shut the door, her heart pumping at an abnormal rate. As she turned to lean against the wall, she saw Lucy looking at her from behind sneakily, the blonde's face wearing a grin. "Erza, could it be that you-"

"I-I'm going out for a while." Erza entered the washroom to freshen herself up, only recalling that she had shattered the mirror. As she bent down to pick up the pieces, she realized that her reflection no longer had bleached white skin or hair. The hollow must have disappeared when her mentor came, and the thought of her mentor keeping the demon at bay made her want to stay by her mentor more.

After picking up the mirror pieces and freshening herself up, Erza walked across the hall and knocked on the door. Her mentor opened the door and invited her in. As they entered the room, Erza could feel heart racing, though she knew that she was the only one who was nervous.

"Erza."

She jumped at the sound of her mentor's voice. "Yes, sensei?"

"You didn't change your clothes." Erza looked at her clothes and realized that she was wearing the same thing as before, even though she said she was going to change.

"It must have slipped my mind."

As Erza sat on one of the beds, her mentor walked closer to her, and Erza could feel cheeks heating up. He placed a hand on her forehead, looking at her strangely. "You do feel a little feverish. Are you sure you're fine? You usually don't forget things like this."

"I have a lot on my mind..." Only when Erza said it out did she realize that the excuse would lead to more probing. "For example...My team met this guy who was a better swordfighter than me. I was a little hung up on that, that's all."

Her mentor seemed to stop probing, though it did not stop her mentor from putting on a worry-stricken expression. "If there's anything you need to talk about, I'm all ears. I might not be of help but I'll do my best to help you. You know that, right?"

Her mentor gave her an assuring smile, and Erza could feel herself getting uncomfortably nervous.

"_**You can feel it, can't you? Your impatience...Ah...If only you'd let go...**_"

A shudder went down Erza's spine as she heard the voice. Surveying the room for mirrors, Erza found none within sight. Her mentor was here with her, and she cannot let her demon spawn ruin it. Her mentor seemed to have sensed her odd behavior, as he grabbed upper arms, returning her focus back to him. "S-Sensei!?"

"You're acting odd, Erza. I know there's something wrong with you, and I can't watch you get upset. I don't care what it is, just tell me already!" Erza never knew her mentor had such a conflicted facial expression. He was angry, but at the same time, more than anything, he was worried.

"_**Go on! Tell him!**_"

"S-Sensei...I'm...I actually..."

Erza could feel her body stiffen as her mentor continued to grip her arms, but as he remained like that, Erza could feel her limbs become lifeless, almost like her limbs became liquid, and yet they were moving. In its uncontrollable state, her arms slithered around her mentor's back.

"_**That's it...Go on. Pull him in. Savour him good...**_"

By then, Erza already knew that this was its doing. There was no doubt about it, but there was no way out of it either. One way or another, it had entered her and took control over her. It was as if the morality she had built up all these years were being teared down.

"...___transforms the target into a demon named a Hollow which consumes the soul' morality and instincts take a new form...__"_

The spell...Erza realized what it was. She was hit by the spell her mentor was talking about.

She was 'hollowfied'.

But what was Erza supposed to do?

Her mentor looked at her with an odd look, as if questioning her actions with his eyes. Erza wanted to shout, to warn her mentor that the one controlling her body was not her, but not even her mouth would move. Though it was a traumatic experience, Erza could not help but feel compelled to let loose, but refused to give in. It was the 'thing' that would benefit, not her.

"Sensei, I was thinking..."

That was her voice, but it she was not speaking. Her arms pulled her mentor lower, and Erza knew that if it escalated any further, there was no turning back. There was something bubbling in her, and Erza hoped it was merely worry, and not anticipation.

As hard as she tried, Erza could not kid herself. Her demon spawn was acting out something she should have had the guts to do, what she wanted to do, only holding on in fear of destroying the relationship between her mentor.

"...we got a room to ourselves." Erza could feel her lips curl into a sultry grin, something Erza would never do. Her mentor would be sure to find out.

Instead, her mentor gave a nervous chuckle. "When have you become such a joker, Erza?"

Her mentor was about to crawl off of her, but instead, her arms pulled him back in closer. Her mentor's eyes widened in shock, and if Erza had control of her eyes, so would she. "Sensei, ever since seventeen years old, I-"

"Stop. You're not feeling well today, we're continuing the conversation tomorrow." Her mentor tried to get up again, but Erza tugged him down even harder, causing him to fall onto Erza, their faces a hair's breadth away. As Erza looked into her mentor's eyes, she witnessed as his eye color changed from hazel to yellow, a sickening yellow.

"Erza, I need you to stop this."

"But do you want me to stop it?" Her mentor's breathing got heavier, and Erza's grin got wider. "I'm yours, Sensei..."

A tingling sensation struck Erza's neck. Her mentor, as if going into a frenzy, started kissing roughly on Erza's neck. She could feel it, the intense longing that she had for her master being reflected onto her. "S-Sensei..."

No reply was heard, only more feverish suckling onto her nape. Not only did her mentor's tongue run wild, but so did his hands. His calloused hands went under her nightgown, caressing her entire body, sending positive chills all over her body. Erza knew she had to do something, but not only did she lose control over her body, her consciousness was drifting off as well.

Slowly but surely, Erza's body was evicting her consciousness of the back seat. The last thing Erza saw were the yellow eyes of her mentor glancing her way. It was void of empathy and filled with frenzied lust. This was not how Erza thought it would play out.

But it was happening, and Erza did not know how to feel. All she knew was that when it was over, it will change their relationship forever. Sensei...

She just hoped it would be for the better.

-3-

A cool breeze caressed Erza, waking her up from a sleep, and a very deep one. It took a while for the soreness all over Erza's body to register, with a good part of it from her inner thighs. Her bare body was spread across the blood stained sheets, almost as if reminding her of her deed.

Or should she say, its deeds.

It was only then did Erza remember about her mentor. She turned to see the said man lying next to her, facing away from her as he dozed quietly.

Erza did not know what to say, or what to do. It had occurred to Erza that she should leave, perhaps talking to her mentor about it some other time, but she did not want to run anymore. This was the start of something new, and she did not want to wait a second longer.

As gently as she could, Erza pulled the sheets back up, covering herself and her mentor. Deciding to be a little bolder, she put her arms around her mentor's waist, enjoying the intimacy between their sweaty bodies. If this were to become a common occurrence, it was something she could get used to.

Her mentor shuffled a little, making Erza's arms loosen for a moment, but Erza refused to unlatch from her mentor. It was her first step, and it was a step she would take sooner or later. Squirming beneath the sheets, Erza managed to lift herself such that she could see her mentor's charming face.

She had no idea how old her mentor was, but regardless, he was good-looking. There was not a girl who would not glance his way, and Erza was no exception. But it did not matter how many people or who fancied her mentor, as long as she keep the view of her mentor's slumbering expression all to herself.

As Erza was deliberating waking her mentor up, his eyes flickered open, as if receiving a shock. His breathing became erratic and his muscles tensed, as if he had a nightmare. When he caught sight of her, he jumped, spun and landed clumsily on the ground. Her mentor hastily stood up, and once he noticed her state of undress, shielded his eyes, which Erza responded by pulling up the sheets to cover her body. "S-Sensei, I-"

"I'm leaving ahead of your team. We will meet back at the guild." Hastily, her mentor re-equiped into a new set of clothes, opening the window and allowing the harsh cold winds in.

Erza did not understand. They had done it, the deed supposed to seal their affection. He could not leave. He should not leave. "Sensei..."

Before jumping out, he took a look back at Erza. His face showed nothing but confusion, conflict and most importantly, a heart-wrenching pain. As quickly as he came, he flickered away.

A distraught Erza slid back into her sheets, feeling tears that she swore not to leak found their way out. She had forgotten about her mentor's affection for Mira. She had forgotten of her status as a student and a 'little sister'.

She had forgotten that her mentor could have been possessed, that he was a victim.

It hurt even more when she could not blame her mentor or Mira. Because the only one to blame was herself. Erza shaped her own demon. She had always been her own demon spawn.

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Just kidding. She's utterly heart-broken. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


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